A Heart Shaped Box
by Jane Opries
Summary: Gabriel has lost yet another woman. 4 years later he meets another girl who maybe the one who can help him recover from the loss of his mate. Maybe be re-done and edited, please contact if you are interested.
1. The Bastard

**Hello, A4J here. Thank you for reading my story, A Heart Shaped Box, though I have to admit, I have no idea why I named it that. I have a couple notes for you to read, so please read them or I will find you, and slap you.**

**1) Reviews for this story will be posted at the begining of each new chapter and I do appriciate them, so r&r, even if they are mean and angry and you want me to die.**

**2) I update oddly, so that is a fair warning to you. I update faster than a cheeta on crack, then I'm slower than a turtle on dope.**

**3) Don't hate me for my bad spelling and horrible grammer, I know it sucks.**

**4) This is not a Viv/Gabe story so if you were looking for one, this is not one. Gabe/ OC.**

**Well I love you guys and I will try to keep up on this story. TTYL.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my oc.**

* * *

I have never felt so much pain in my life. All I know is that I was rushed away to a hospital, were luckily, a loup-gourx doctor was and they didn't kill me with human blood. I remember screaming, and crying and begging. But none of those cries were Vivian's. They were mine.

I didn't see that car, I didn't know that some one was stupid enough to run a red light infront of a cop. I didn't know...

Now my mate is dead...and it's my fault.

* * *

_~Three years after Vivan's death~ Gabriel 3rd person_

The inn was quiet at 4 in the morning, dispite the business men that usually stayed there. That was when he usually rose and ran till he collasped about 20 miles away from the inn. He groaned as his alarm went off. It seemed like there would be no run today.

After the accident, things got to crazy and the pack made a decision to move once again, even though they had just settled in Vermont. But they moved to Montana and luckily, there was free space every were and room to build an inn to their liking. It was costly, but every body worked hard and paid for their part. The inn was even in a tourist town called Red Lodge and the inn was able to stay busy.

Gabriel sat on the side of the bed holding his head. His head throbbed and he was freezing. He didn't know why, but he hadn't been warm since Vivan died, and it also caused him to pile the other side of the bed with pillows. He felt like he was some obsessed weirdo, but it was the only way he could sleep.

A knock on the door made Gabriel snap his attention to the door. "Yes?"

"Your late again, Gabie and you have a customer specifcally here for you so I suggust that you get your ass out of bed." Esme's voice chidded through the door.

"Yes mother dearest, now shut up." He groaned and stood up.

The door opened and a pouting Esme stomped in. "I told you I'm not your freaking mother." She crossed her arms.

"You're old enough to be." He rolled his eyes and opened his closet and took out a shirt

"Excuse me, mister, you might watch whatcha say 'cause I happen to feed you and do your dirty laundry." Esme scoffed. "And you are not wearing a v-neck t-shirt to meet a client."

"Esme, this is my inn and I can wear whatever I damn please." He shot her a dark glare.

"Well you are in a better mood today. Oh, almost forgot, you have an interview later on today with an applicant."

"I'm not hiring..." Gabriel brushed his hair and made note it was time to get it cut. It didn't look good below his chin.

"You said I could hire an assistant! You little bastard. If you don't hire one I sure as hell will."

Gabriel rolled his eyes and looked at Esme. "Are you done?"

She looked at him for a few minutes and then shook her head, making her golden hair fall in her face. Gabriel closed his eyes. It was like Vivan's.

"Gabe...about last week, we can't keep this one night stand shit going. You need to find a mate and I can no longer be your personal whore." She crossed her arms. "Plus, I don't know how much longer I can stay around you when you don't take anything serious any more."

He stared down at her and then shrugged. "I need no mate and you do me a favor." He walked past her.

"I'm telling you this 'cause I ain't doing it any more. Tomas will find out and I will lose what I worked so hard to keep." She finally walked infront of him and stood her ground. "Don't expect it from me any more." She walked out of his room and shut the door.

Gabriel gritted his teeth. He knew that was coming, but for some reason, it really surprised him.

* * *

"Gabe! You crawled out of bed just in time." Regina turned the corner in the kitchen bumping right into Gabriel. "There is a plate for you in the mic. Just heat it." She bustled around him.

"What? No hot fresh breakfast?" He asked, teasing the poor woman. She looked up at him with a look that said 'yeah, right'. "That was at 8 this morning. It is now 10. You slept late."

"I was up by 7. I've been busy." He dodged two of the waitresses and then made his way towards the microwave.

"Yeah uh, chasing rabbits is not work." Regina went into the walk in and came back out with a cooled cake. "So...are you going back to Vermont with some of us, or you gonna stay here?" She asked while unwrapping the cake and then stirring what Gabe assumed was frosting.

"Here." He pressed the buttons to the microwave then stepped back. "This morning must have been busy." He watched the dishwasher run around, washing and putting dishes away.

Regina stopped mixing and turned toward Gabe. She sighed. "You're not going, even though you promised your mother you'd go see her and your sisters."

"Regina..." Gabriel sighed. "I need to stay here."

"So you can get plastered and cry the whole time while we're gone? No you don't. You spent the last 2 years doing that. Year before that you didn't even come out of your room."

"That is my business. You have work to do." The words came out harsher than he wanted them too, but his nerves were frayed from Esme and his client that was more than happy to tell him everything that was wrong about this place.

Her lips thinned out and she turned back toward the cake. "You do to." She whispered as he left, leaving the food in the microwave.

Gabriel walked out of the kitchen. He didn't wan to go so he wasn't going and that was it. It was only a week and plus, he didn't want the whole pack and his family to pester him about not moving on after three years. Truthfully he wasn't ready for a relationship.

* * *

So remember to r&r. I will continue when i can so be patient, peeps.


	2. Adri and the lonely room

**_Hey so I know I had that contest going and if you read it and are still interested, you can contact me or if you just read this and are curious, contact me as well, but I think it would be better if I continued with my story for now and you keep REVIEWING, hint hint smile nod._**

**_Any who, r&r and here is the next chap._**

**_Disclaimer was first chapter._**

* * *

The day dragged and for Gabriel there was no end to it. He had to yell at the Five to stop smoking in the cabins and not to scare customers with ghost stories about the lady in the dining room. He grunted as he made his way to the office behind the front check in counter. Jenny, smiled as Gabriel passed her and nodded his head to greet her. She smiled and scolded her toddler gently, saying no a couple times.

_If I hadn't of killed Vive, we would have a baby. _His thoughts turned sour as he opened the door. Esme and Reneta were talking to a girl about 5'5", with very dark brown hair and brilliant blue eyes. They were even brighter than his. She was dressed for an interview, which was great since every person he had interviewed, wore t-shirts and rugged jeans, which pissed him off.

Reneta stopped 1/2 sentance as Gabriel walked in. "Well, your late and we have been into this interrogation for about 15 minutes now."

Gabriel rolled his eyes. "Out, so I can see if you get your oh-so wanted assistant, what ever the hell you need assistanting in."

"Our jobs with the services and office are difficult and you are never here so we need her." Esme pointed to the girl.

"Step out with me ladies, for a sec." He motioned to Reneta and Esme. They shook hands with the girl and walked out, Gabriel following them. He shut the door and leaned against the wall. "So spill, is she a meat girl or is she one of us?"

Reneta spoke first, seeing as she had done most of the talking. "She is. She's 17, she lives about 1/2 from here, she's graduated, and she has no family or pack."

Gabriel nodded, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "She graduated young."

"Very, very smart. She wanted to go to college, but she can't afford it, so thats why she is here." Esme crossed her arms. "What do you think?"

Gabriel looked at the door then at Jenny and her wandering baby. "I think Jenny needs a baby sitter."

Esme turned her head to see Jenny juggling answering phones and taking care of her pup. Reneta watched Gabriel's face as he watched the toddler once again get in trouble. He seemed so lost in thoughts she didn't know were he was at that moment.

"Then it's a deal then?" Esme turned back toward him.

He sighed. "Yes, Esme. You can hire her, but one mistake and her sorry ass is out the door."

"Oh and she was wondering about housing?" Esme took Jenny's pup.

"I'll figure that out later, for now, I need to show her around." He turned away from the 2 women and opened the door. The girl stood up and smiled sweetly at him. That smile was almost like Vivian's had been. Sweet, but you could see the deadly animal behind it.

"Hello, I'm Adri Enges." She held out her hand politly. She had very little hands with elegant fingers. Gabriel was surprised she was loup-gourx at all.

"Gabriel, the owner." He took her hand, well, her _arm _was closer to the truth. She was little and it was scary.

"Please to meet you." Her voice was gentle and soft, like she was whispering loving words. Gabriel wanted to frown, but instead he nodded to her. "Your also the alpha male, as well?"

He snapped out of his thoughts and nodded. "Correct, I presume they questioned you and explained most every thing?"

She nodded, making her long dark hair cover her like a silky sheet. "They did."

"Alright then, let me show you around."

* * *

Gabriel had finished with in an hour and left Adri with wide eyes. The pack was unusually large and for Montana it was like it's own little town.

"So I want you here at 8 in the morning, your not allowed to serve in the dinning room because they need to do their own job." He walked a head of her and then stopped at a door. "Currently I can not offer you housing, but as soon as this room is done, you can move in."

She nodded and smiled again. "Thank you."

"Alright get out of here and get home and sleep. Grab a card at the front desk that has my cell number on it and call in case of an emergency."

She nodded again and turned around, walking down the flight of stairs that they had just come up from. He watched her go, as she gracefully hopped down the stairs.

"So, she's the new girl?" A voice came from behind him.

Gabriel looked behind him to see Ulf, getting ready for bed. Gabriel nodded. "Yup, name is Adri."

"Dude she's hot, I'd do her." Ulf chewed on his tooth brush.

"You'd do any thing with tits and a cunt, now get." Gabriel walked toward his room and walked into the lonely, barren room.

It was dark outside and so no light came through the window. He could see with his eyes, but to a human, it would be pitch black. He looked around.

The oak dresser. The closet, his bathroom, the lonely bed. He had taken down all of Vivian's paintings and stored them some were safe, no longer able to look at them with out sobbing and doubling over from the pain.

He swallowed. He didn't want to sleep here tonight. Not alone and with the chilling silence. He turned around and left the god-forsaken room. He jogged down the stairs and made it to the back door, were he ran at full speed toward the forest.

He could feel the power in his legs and the invisible tail that was aching in his lower back. Stopping briefly to shed his clothes he noticed the scar going across his chest. It was from the car.

That sharp metal cuting into his skin. He tensed at the memory and started to run again, even faster. The change was fast and rough, not like the bitter sweet change he usually enjoyed. He ran farther till he made it to a river.

Changing back he looked around. No one. No other pack members. Laying down in the bank of the river, he stretched out, coving as much dirt as he could.

He choked on the tears. He should be over this. It had been 3 years already and he needed another mate or at least a companion. Grimicing at the thoughts he closed his eyes to dream of Vivian.

* * *

**Always awesome and depressing. So you know the dril. r&r.**


	3. Dead for 4 years, Gabe's Birthday

**Hello, sorry it took me so long but you know the procedure so get to it! R&R!**

* * *

Gabriel woke the next morning to someone licking his face. He groaned and swatted at them in annoyance. "Get the fuck away from me." He rolled off to his side and stood up. He looked down to see 3 naked boys and 1 red wolf. The wolf tilted his head and sat on it's rear. He looked around. It was almost sun up. He sighed.

"Reneta, Regina, Esme, and Jenny sent us to find you, since you weren't up this morning and in your room. Scared the shit out of Esme." Finn said, almost like he could give less of a damn.

"Yeah, she was hysterically crying and saying that maybe you were trying to kill yourself." His twin, Willem, spoke up.

Gabriel looked down at the red wolf and sighed. "At least you didn't piss on me."

The wolf bubbled and shifted into a more familar form of Ulf. He laughed. "It was my first choice."

"And the last one you would have ever made." He growled and walked up toward the inn. He began to notice how far he had run last night.

"Oh come on Gaby Baby, you've become the biggest stick in the mud." Gregory whinned, following right behind him.

Gabriel rolled his eyes. "I'm 28. I'm not a stupid retard like you are."

"Ouch." Willem laughed. His cousin glared at him.

"Correction oh mighty master, you are 29." Ulf nudged him and laughed. "Today is your birthday."

Gabriel stopped. He looked at the boys behind them. It had already been 4 years. He frowned and shook his head. It was the anniversy of Vivian's death. "Oh." He continued walking, trying to avoid the dark thoughts coming into his brain like a flood.

He could smell her. He could hear her laugh. He could feel her skin against his. He could hear her scream before she died. He shook his head again and tried to ignore the feelings. They came to the place were his clothes were scattered across the open space. He picked up his boxers first.

"Its your b-day and all you can say is 'oh'? I'd be partying like a mad man. Dude you're one year away from 30." Gregory smiled and sighed. "You're an old man."

"Shut it pup. I'm not doing anything." He mumbled the last sentence. "I have no reason to."

The boys grew quiet as Gabriel put his pants on and Ulf picked up his shirt next to his feet. "Ya know, Gabe...you're not the only one suffering here."

He grunted and reached for his shirt only to have Ulf step back and hold the shirt away from him. "Get over it. We need you to be the alpha you used to be and not a pathetic excuse of a mutt your acting like. Vivian would be pissed if she could see you." He threw the shirt on the ground and glared at Gabriel that no one expected to see.

Gabriel stood there, debating either to kill the little prick or to just turn and ignore him. "Like you know what Vivian would be. Maybe I should give up being alpha and give it to you, since I'm no good at it." He picked up his shirt and walked past all of them up the hill to the inn, ignoring the calls and insults.

He opened the screen door to the kitchen and was greeted by Regina. She hugged him tightly and brought his head down to kiss his forehead. "Happy birthday Mr. Gabriel. Glad you didn't die on us."

He sighed and shrugged. "It's still debatable."

She ignored the comment and took his hand and lead him out of the kitchen. Which no one was in.

"Were is everyone?" He looked around. No body was working.

"You'll see." She said in a sing song voice. He sighed again.

The dining room was pitch black but Gabriel could see just fine and knew what was coming before the light flashed on and people jumping every were screaming 'Happy Birthday!'. He gave everyone a small smile and noticed that even some of the guest were even there. And Adri.

She was wearing a little black dress and flats that made her tiny frame look long. She was smiling wide and holding a gift. He tried not to sigh again.

"So how you feeling ya old fart?" Esme wrapped her arm around his waist and squeezed lightly.

"I should be asking you the same thing." He took a swig out of his beer and watched the party with no interest.

"I'd be better if you went and socialized."

"I need to shower first. Tell them I'll be right back." He set his beer down and walked back threw the kitchen to the other door leading to stairs. It felt like forever but he got to the 4th floor and leaned against the wall. He didn't want to go back, but for Esme's sake he had too. He sat on the stairs and held his head, but the sound of small steps made him look up and find Adri with her box.

"Did Esme send you to make sure I was coming back?"

"No, I actually came to give you this personally since I have to leave. I have an appointment." She held out her gift that looked very large in her hands.

He took it and looked at it. In his hands it seemed normal sized. He sat on the head of the stairs and wrestled with the wrapping paper and tape that surrounded the box. Opening it up he saw something red and black and it was very shiny. He reached in and froze. It was a motorcycle helmet. He pulled it out and looked up at her confused.

"I saw the bike in the garage that Esme said she got you a year ago and I thought you'd like a helmet that matched." She smiled gently and shrugged her slim shoulders.

_Calm down, she doesn't know. She couldn't possibly know. Relax. _He sighed and looked down at the helmet. "Thanks."

"You don't like it? Is it the wrong color? Do you need the receipt back?" She bent over and reached for the helmet.

He grabbed her hand gently. "No, this is great thank you." He let go of her hand and stood up with the helmet under his arm. "I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"Oh yeah, Esme told me to tell you if your not spending the holiday in Vermont, you will have to spend it with me, here and doing cleaning." She tilted her head. "Thats what she said."

He rolled his eyes and grimiced. "Yeah well she doesn't own this place. I'll see ya."

She smiled and turned and quickly desended down the stairs, her silky hair flowing behind her. He looked down at the helmet and he wanted to toss it out the window, but it was a sincere gift.

* * *

Gabriel slept most of the night, not able to keep his mind off two things. Vivian and Adri. Vivian cause he missed her with such intensity it was unbareable. Adri because she was gentle and kind and ignored his awkward behavior.

What would he do if he went mateless his whole life? Of course Vivian wouldn't have wanted that, but even being with her mother had made him feel like he was trash. But this was not the first time he had lost the one he loved, and he was able to move on. But with Vivian...

The door opened slightly and then closed. Gabriel continued to lay on his back and stare blankly at the wall. He heard the bare feet on the floor and the bed move slightly and warm hands caressing his chest. The figure laid next to him and stroked his dark hair.

"Did you enjoy your party?" The woman next to him asked.

He turned his head and faced Esme in a blue satin night gown with creme lace and it barely covered her. He shifted so he was on his side and able to touch her back. "I thought you weren't doing this any more."

"I'm not. I'm just here to talk." She brought him closer to her so his body pressed her into the mattress and molded her body to his.

"This isn't talking Esme." He ran his hand down the outside of her thigh.

"The boys told me about earlier...what you said." She stroked the shaggy hair behind his ear and then his cheek. "Please don't do this to us..." She brought him closer and hugged him to her body. "Please, I don't want to lose anymore people that I love..."

"I'm not gonna die Esme." He mumbled into her shoulder. "I'm not dead."

He felt a sob rake her body and a small cry escape her lips. She was holding him tightly and running her nose along his shoulder. "You already act like you are."

After a while of holding eachother, Esme escaped his hold on her and kissed him good bye. "Happy birthday, Gabriel...let's try and make it to thirty, ok?" She slipped out the door and quietly closed it behind her.

He held his head in his hands. He had to help himself some how...

_You already act like you are._

* * *

**Oooo, very fun. Any way I'm debating if I should take it slow with Gabe and Adri or should he just be blunt and try to get with her?**


	4. Day 3, reversed

**Ello mi lovies, read and _review_ or I'll slap you. **

* * *

The day the pack left, Gabriel never felt so alone. But this was his choice. He made the decision to stay here while they all left for the holiday. This time, he wasn't completely alone though. She came around the first day, to answer phones for reservations for next week and do some filing, before going home and leaving him again.

He sighed and walked around the kitchen and ran his hands over the counters that Vivian had picked out. She had wanted these counters because they were the same color as his eyes. Blue. His hand hit a note and he looked down at it and picked it up.

_Gabriel,_

_I made you some food and brought it here, so you don't have to cook, since I was told you were a terrible cook anyway. I hope you like parm. chick. and wild rice!_

_Adri_

_p.s. Don't worry about the dishes, I'll get them tomorrow. And your laundry is done too, Esme said you can't do that either._

He looked around and walked over to the fridge, opening it up and surely there it was, in a Tupperware container and ready to heat.

The second day, he was asleep for most of the day, not even noticing her presence when she came into his room and got his laundry, or to notice he was butt naked on top of the covers and made her blush like a child.

Though he did notice the food in the fridge again when he woke up. This time it was roast beef and mash potatoes, alone with corn and a seperate container of gravey. He had never been so greatful to have a woman around.

And after his run, he stayed out in the woods and fell asleep there and when he came back in the morning, breakfast was ready, but she was not in sight.

Third day though, she didn't come, at all. And it was only Wednesday, and she was supposed to work. Not even a phone call. As an employer, this was a inconvenience he didn't appreciate, as a man though, he was missing the perks of having her around. Even if he never saw her.

About noonish though, she came in a hurry, tears streaking her face, hair messed, but still dressed properly, even though she was aloud to go casual, since no one was here.

She saw Gabriel and then sighed. "I'm sorry...I crashed and I lost my cell phone during which." She looked down and held her self.

He leaned against the wall. "You could have used some one elses of the hospital phone. Don't let that happen again." He watched her sit down in her chair and sulk. It seemed like it was a very bad crash. Or an excuse for something else.

"They wouldn't have released you for another day if you had crashed." He went up to the front of the desk and leaned over it to loom over her.

"I wasn't hurt..." She was looking down, not making any eye contact with him.

"And if you got in a crash and don't live with your family, how'd you get here?" He was curious now. Why would she lie to him?

"I'm using my friend's car."

He rubbed his chin and stopped leaning on the desk. "Why don't you tell me what really happened and then I'll leave you alone?" His voice lowered and he crossed his arms.

"I got in a crash..." She whimpered. This unnerved Gabriel. She was supposed to be bright and cheery and smart. The girl in front of him was cowarding and whimpering like a pup.

"Really? Hmm, why do I find that so hard to believe?" He scoffed. "I'm not talking to you as employer to employee, here, I ain't gonna fire you, but it pisses me off when some one lies to me."

She sat quietly for a moment, not moving, and he wasn't sure if she was breathing. He was about to say some thing when a tiny whisper came out of her. "My brother called this morning...I have to go home for a couple weeks...my mom and dad died last night in a fire at a bar in Canada."

Gabriel didn't know what to say. That was such a loss, even if she didn't live with them, and a complete tragedy for a 17 year old girl. He watched her fall apart in front of him. Feeling useless and completely thrown off guard. Why didn't she tell him there was a family tragedy? Why didn't she call and say she needed the day off? Why didn't she come in sooner and tell him and-

He was taken back by his thoughts. It had bothered him that she didn't tell _him _till now and tried to cover it up with another excuse. He felt betrayed, but then again, he had pried and now he knew, and it made her cry harder. He felt like scum.

He walked over to her and took her hand and pulled her up gently and hugged her even more gently. She stopped for a minute out of shock and then gripped his shirt and sniffled.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pried."

"It's just pay back for the helmet I gave you..." She murmered into his sternum. "They said it was a bad idea..."

He frowned. "No, I just don't ride any more. I was a great gift." He tried to hide the pain on his face.

"No, it wasn't. I deserved this."

_I'm supposed to say that._


	5. Comfort and warmth

**Why no reviews guys? Is no one reading this or is it that bad? Well any way another chapter if you are reading this.**

* * *

She stayed the night at the inn. In a different room of course. He would not allow her to drive home so stressed and upset, claiming it was to dangerous. She apologized for not bringing food, but made up for it by using the kitchen and making a delicous potatoe soup and put in extra bacon like he liked it. She cleaned up the kitchen too and put everything away.

At the table they shared, Gabriel stared down at his food in wonder. Where did she learn how to cook like this? Geez, she is 17 and it was cruel that a pretty girl her age was able to cook so well.

"Is it bad?" She looked horrified when he stopped eating it and he was staring at his bowl. She chewed on her lip.

"It's beyond good." He was so shocked. "Where in the hell did you learn how to cook like that?"

She smiled shyly and looked down at her own bowl and stirred it around. "My mom and grandma. I put way more bacon than they do-did." Her lips thinned out and she sighed.

"Listen, it's ok." He set his spoon down.

"It doesn't feel like it." She whispered.

He frowned. She was feeling like he did all the time. But she was stronger. She'd make it. "I know it doesn't right now, but it will be, sooner or later."

She smiled. "You sound so old."

He blinked then chuckled. "I am old."

She giggled. That made him happy. He froze at his sudden realization. She made him happy, very happy. He inhaled and sat back a bit. She tilted her head, noticing his facial expression. "Are you ok?"

He swallowed and then nodded. "Yeah..."

"Well I was going to run, but I don't want to go when it rains." She looked out the large window, seeing the black clouds over the trees.

"Yeah, you could get lost." He began to devour the soup at an alarming rate.

She stood up. "I'd better go then, before it gets too bad." She swept her silky brown hair over her shoulder.

"No." It came out urgent. She looked at him like he was crazy. He coughed and swallowed a mouth full. "What I mean is, is that you are to upset and tired and there is a storm coming and that is just dangerous."

"Yeah but-"

"No buts, Adri. Its dangerous and I have spare bedrooms if you haven't noticed." He stood up and shook his head. "Stay here."

She smiled, hiding something and then nodded. "Ok."

Now he was laying there in his bed, staring at the ceiling. She stayed for his sake, so he believed. Since the accident it felt like he couldn't take care of himself. He couldn't do laundry, he couldn't feed himself, damn it he couldn't even socialize anymore. And he was alpha, his pack needed him more than ever. Even when his pack was in deep grieving after the loss of Vivian, he couldn't do anything and no one stood up to him except the five who no one took them seriously.

He needed to get his ass in gear. He stood up, the thunder rolling. He heard whimpering and he looked around. Nothing was in the room. He walked out the door and looked around. Down the corridor a ways was Adri staring out the window, standing with a blanket wrapped tightly around her. Her demi ears pointed and furred, laying flat against her head. A silently sob escaped her. She was trembling and trying to be quiet.

He quietly walked toward her. She had her face pressed to the glass of the window and like any soft hearted person, was sobbing from the loss of her beloved parents.

He stopped. What would Vivian do? She'd ask what was wrong and counsole her, be he had already done that.

_What would you do if that was Vivian? _He asked himself. He approached softly and gently touched her shoulders with his hands. She went silent for a moment and she didn't tense, but she stopped moving as well.

He gently pulled her back to him and wrapped his arms tenderly around her. She reached up and touched his arm and her ear twitched forward, but then changed into the human ear.

She turned slowly in his arms and looked up at him. Gabriel then realized what he had been missing all along. Her. She needed him as much as he needed her. To help heal eachother and to share their pain.

Her bright blue eyes stared up into his, before she rested her head on his chest and let the tears roll, gripping his shirt like he was her anchore to earth.

He picked her up slowly and took her to his room, were he laid her on the bed and tucked her in. She didn't argue and she didn't protest. When he laid down she turned toward him and pressed her self against him. He held her as she continued to cry silently, taking in the comfort he supplied to her.

She drifted to sleep to the beat of his heart and he to her breathing

* * *

**So, um...review, cause I've updating and it looks like no one is reading it and that sucks cause I really like this story. I hope you do to.**


	6. BossEmployee Status

**Yo, what is with everybody reading this and not reviewing?! I mean I went on traffic and peeps are reading like mad and no one has reviewed! it is crazy...**

* * *

There was nothing better to Gabriel than waking up with a warm body wrapped around him. Infact it was the first time in a long time he woke up happy. He woke when it was still dark out, the sun not very far from rising. Though the rain was still pouring down. The tiny body wrapped around him sighed in her sleep and her warm breath went across his chest, making his skin feel like it was on fire.

_Vivie, can you forgive me...I've always done you wrong, but I promise I'll do it right this time. _Though he had those thoughts that maybe she would never accept him. Adri had just taken comfort in his embrace, it could have meant nothing. He decided he would wait.

"Gabe?" A small voice whispered in his ear. He turned his head and came nose to nose with Adri. Her hair was dishiveled and her eyes were wide and her lips looked swollen, but he had never seen something so beautiful. He stroked her hair and smiled softly.

She smiled back. "Hey."

He took a deep breath, smelling her scent. "Hey."

She laid her head back down on his chest. "I should go home."

He gathered her in his arms and kissed her hair. "Why are you so anxious to get away from me?"

"Why are you so anxious to keep me?" She murmered into his neck.

"Why wouldn't I?" He ran his fingers down her spine, causing a pleasent shiver from her.

"You barely know me." She breathed softly.

"You barely know me."

"This is true." She smiled against his neck. He chuckled then realized that they were both wearing minimal amount of clothing and by her smell, Gabriel could tell this girl had yet to have her first lover and would probably be embrassed when she noticed she was wearing minimal clothing. He sat up with her in his arms and wrapped her up tight in the blanket.

He set her aside and stood up and got two large shirts, one for him and one for her. She looked at him confused when he handed her the shirt and then looked down at herself. A deep red blush swept over her face and she hurriedly put on the shirt and bit her lip.

She looked so beautiful in his clothes. He looked away and put on his own shirt. "Hungry?"

"Not really; I want to run, but the rain is still going and Esme would kill me if I dragged mud into the house." She shivered alittle.

He raised an eyebrow and smiled. The old Gabriel coming back slowly. "Cold, baby?" He sat next to her and laid his head on her shoulder.

"A little..." Barely a whisper, but he heard it. He smiled and pulled her into his arms and laid them down on the bed. She huddled against his chest and he pulled her leg over his waist to bring them closer. She didn't protest.

"I really know nothing about you." She looked up at him. He looked down into her beautiful eyes and smiled.

"There really is nothing to tell." He shrugged.

"There is always something to tell." She persisted.

He sighed and laid on his back, her barely moving her position. Her warm body felt so nice, it almost made Gabriel pray to the moon that she would let him do this more often.

"I really don't know what to tell you."

"Why don't you have a mate? Everyone says you need one." She asked. He almost hit himself for letting that one open. He tried to come up with something to avoid his actual reason.

"I'm just not ready, thats all." He looked at her, hoping that was enough. By the look on her face, it wasn't.

"But why?" She looked down, obviously disappointed in his answer.

"I just can't see myself with a permanent mate yet."

"But your 29, and it is unusual that a male, an alpha at that, is unmated." She climbed on his chest and straddled him, to make sure he was unable to move.

He looked away. "I don't want a mate."

She looked almost hurt, but tried to recover, failing at every attempt. "Oh...what about a partner?"

"No." It came out to sharp and she looked like she had been slapped.

She slowly got off of him and sat on the edge of the bed. Gabriel observed that she probably never had a boyfriend or any experiance with men, and that last night, just by sharing the bed, she probably felt like he wanted her. He felt like a douche bag.

She was gently kicking the bed and looking down, trying to act like his answer didn't hurt. "Do you have any kids?"

"No, I don't." He said gentler this time, running his fingers up her arm.

"Kinda like with the mate thing?" She looked at him.

"No...I really want a family."

"But you have to have a mate though."

He shrugged. "Yeah, I guess."

She looked back down and stared at the floor boards. "Please tell me why you don't want a mate."

He felt his heart tighten and his hand dropped. "That wouldn't be a good idea."

"I won't tell anyone."

"They already know why." He rolled the other way. She didn't move with him this time.

He heard her clutch the sheets and then hop off the bed, her feet making a patter on the floor. He sat up to see her walking toward the door. He pushed off the blankets and pursued her. "Adri, wait."

"I'm gonna go eat. Then I should go home." She gave him a smile, but the look in her eyes told a different story.

"Listen, I know that you spent the night with me and that you probably feel like I should tell you now, but it is way more complicated than that and if you knew, you wouldn't stay around, ok?" He tried to explain.

"I'd like to keep this relationship in the boss/employee status." She was still smiling, but it was just the wrong smile.

He stepped back and nodded. "Fine." He fucked up again. Like always, except he didn't kill this one.

She turned and with soft patters of her feet left the room and with in an hour, she left the inn.

* * *

**Review.**


	7. Pathetic

**So yeah...no reviews, but lots of readers. What the fuck is with that? Is this story shit or is it good? Tell me!**

* * *

It had been silent for a long time. No one was there. And it was pitch black and not a sound was heard. But he _felt_ something. It was warm, and soft, and it was touching his chest. Gabriel moved and it moved with him, like it was apart of him. He moved again and it didn't leave.

He grabbed at his chest and nothing was there, and the sensation was touching him from _inside _his chest. He looked around, but it was usless, as there was no light any were. He was now clawing at his chest and struggling, but he didn't know why.

_Gabriel...Why are you hurting yourself?_

"Vivie, baby? Is that you?" He was looking around frantically.

_Yes...It's me, but why are you hurting yourself?_

"I'm not baby, I just- am I alive or dead?" He had a sudden dread go over him.

_Asleep, in our bed...you look so cute all cuddled up by those pillows._

"Yeah, funny...so I'm dreaming?"

_Yeah, I just said your asleep, which would mean you are dreaming._

"Sacarastic, like I remember you...before I killed you." He sighed and the sensation in his chest faltered.

_You didn't kill me, were the hell did you get that from?_

Again his chest faltered and he felt the sensation grow almost hot, as if it fed off his emotions. "Viv, what is this?" He placed a hand over his heart.

_That's what love feels like, you seem to not like it. _Her voice sounded sad and disappointed.

"No, I mean it feels good, but I don't understand why I am feeling it."

_You haven't felt love in almost 4 years. And love is supposed to feel good. _He could almost smell her, or it was just his wishful thinking.

"Why are you here baby?" He laid back down, since it wasn't like he could move anyway.

_To knock some sense into you. Why are you being like this? The man I knew would have never let his pack down, never hurt people around him, _especially _my mother. I don't understand. You're a strong person, what happened to you?_

He swallowed hard and covered his face. "You died...I lost everything."

_It shouldn't be that way. Why aren't you on your own feet again?! Gabriel, this is pathetic._

"I know! I spent the last 3 years hearing how pathetic I am!" He sat up again. "I am pathetic! I have nothing to wake up and look forward to any more!"

_You should! Why haven't you moved on?! Why haven't you had pups yet?! Why are you hurting my mother and ruining your life! Why?! _The voice sounded like it was sobbing and pleading.

He gripped his hair, trying to hold in his tears. "Because...I love you...I always will and you were my life...and I killed you. How much worse can my life get, baby? Your gone, and I have nothing to live for. No kids, no friends..."

_You have friends._

"No...They just look after me because we used to be friends...I am nothing. Sometimes I wish I would just die, then I could be with you and love you and hold you and just...be with you."

The voice was silent for a moment then: _You can't. And you won't for a very long time...You need to realize this._

"I do, every morning your not there."

_And I never will be._

"Its like you like rubbing it in." He was holding his head.

_Gabe...stop it, please...just stop...I said stop it! _

"I can't..."

_Promise me...promise me that by the next time we meet, you'll be a grandfather...you'll be in love and you'll be the alpha again. I no longer exist, but there are a lot of people who are counting on you and this has to stop...I mean, you ruined it with Adri, but you can find some one and keep going. Promise me..._

"No..." He was sobbing.

_Yes! Promise me! Promise!_

"I can't."

_You can, and if you don't, I will never forgive you..._

"Vivie..."

_Gabe..._

Vivie...

"Gabriel!!"

His eyes flew open and several bodies were in the room, staring at him. They were back and Adri was standing there, tears streaming her face, and she sighed in relief.

Esme hugged him and smoothed his hair. "Oh thank the sweet moon, your alive." She was close to tears.

"What?" He was groggy and confused as why most of his pack was in his room.

Adri took a deep breath and threw her tears she said: "You were asleep for 3 days, and you wouldn't wake up...I thought you tried to kill yourself."

"No, kid, no." He shook his head and she stepped back when he called her kid.

Regina and Renetta and Persia were closest to him after Adri stepped back, Persia holding a strange bottle containing a foul smell that Gabriel guess was used to wake him up.

"And you were screaming..." Esme was beginging to sob and Adri quickly left the room. He held onto Esme, while the sight of Adri fleeing made his heart hurt.

_Love, its supposed to feel good. _

He unattached himself from Esme and tried to get up, only it was like having newborn legs, yet he stumbled past most of his pack, the five being last.

"Gab-" Ulf stepped forward.

"Later, I have something to do." He quickened his pace and followed Adri's sent, and caught up quickly with her.

"Adri." He caught her arm and turned her around, only to see a face covered in tears and her hair messed and her clothes that she had worn after she left.

Thrown back by this he went to held her but she pushed him back. "Please don't..." She tried to cover her face but she was so tired and her complexion was close to pure white.

"Adri..."

She gasped for breath from her sobs and then looked at him. "I thought you died."

He was silent for a minute and then heard other pack members come down. "I didn't."

She shook her head and then turned. "I shouldn't be here."

He was confused. "You pack, you work here, so why not?"

She looked around and she shrunk, like she had been cornered. "I quit."

Gabriel shook his head and then looked at the pack member's behind him. Then he looked back at her and shook his head. "No, you didn't"

"Well I am." She swallowed and tried to hold steady.

"No." He shook his head.

She turned angry then and growled, her eyes changing yellow. "You can't tell me I can't quit my job."

"I can. You live in my territory, there for you are pack. Pack work here, or stay here. So will you." He stood strong. _Oh Vivie...she's gonna hate me._

"No! I am not a member of your pack! I refuse!" She was close to snarling and the others began to close in. He held out his arm and shook his head.

"You are. You are _mine,_ so you will stay here." He said firmly, staring her down.

"No!" She was screeching. "No! Do you call all your member's _yours_? I am not _yours_." She looked like she was going to rip his throat out.

He got quieter and then relaxed at bit. "No, I don't. My mate is _mine._" He saw her eyes widen.

Esme came out of the crowd and looked up at Gabriel. "Are you sure?"

He looked back down at her and nodded. "Yes. I have chosen my mate."

A thud made him turn back his attention to the girl who was now passed out on the floor. He bent down and slowly picked her up and craddled her in his arms and then looked up at his pack. "I'll be down in a bit. Get ready for opening tomorrow." He walked threw the crowd and up the stairs to his room.

He set her on the bed and smoothed her hair back and kissed her forehead tenderly, then her lips, before changing his clothes and then joining the rest of his pack.


	8. Adri: On His Own Time

**Alright, I've given up on reviews for this story, as I am several chapters in and still have people looking at it like crazy, but I have not one review. So even if you hate it, tell me. PLEASE REVIEW.**

* * *

Adri, 3rd person

Adri woke with a head ache. Her muscles hurt and her heart hurt worse. She sat on the side of the bed and noticed the moonlight coming through the window, making window like patterns on the floor.

The last three days had been terrible for her. Her parents death, Gabriel not waking, his declaration that she was his new mate. The last one made her stare at the floor in a daze. Mate. A word that was used between two people who loved eachother and devoted their lives to one another. But she and Gabriel did not fit that critera. In fact, they never did and they were even on different levels of life and love. He had had another lovers, she was sure. He was old enough to. She had barely had her first kiss yet. And he was 29 and she was just 18.

She looked at the window and sighed. It wasn't that she disliked him. But she still felt like he ran over her a bit when he let her sleep with him in his own bed, then refused to talk about himself with her like he didn't need to.

In her family, that was worse than slapping your mate. They were stricter and tighter around the rules of mates. Sleeping in the same bed was declaring you were mates, even if nothing happened. But he saw it as nothing and her heart broke and to try and hide the complete pain of the blow off, she left after telling him that it was boss/employee status and that it wouldn't happen again.

But when he fell asleep and didn't wake for 3 days, she cried harder than we she heard her parents died, sad yes, but true. She had never been so scared, because to her, he was still her mate, and she didn't want him to die. He screamed every now and then and then he would mumble a woman's name. Vivian, or Vivie. When she had heard the car pull up she had ran down the stairs and flung herself at the first person in the door, begging for help. Aunt Persia and Esme rushed to his side and he woke after Persia had opened a bottle of some foul content.

Now he declared they were mates. She had made that declaration a while ago, but rid of it after their fight. It was all to much. She looked around the room and saw nothing out of the ordinary, except a couple boxes and suit cases. She stood and walked over to the door opening it up just enough to peak into the hall way. The lights were off and nothing was prowling. There were no guest yet and so only pack members were still in the inn.

She left the room and slowly closed the door and walked down the first flight of stairs. Again she was met by darkness and no one in the hallways. She looked around and noticed that the light on the other floor was on, and voices carryed up the stairs. She quietly made her way over to the stairs and went half way down then quietly, coming close to the open doors of the conference room. She heard more voices and they were louder now. Pack meeting.

"Quiet, all of you. I can not talk with you all yelling." She heard Gabriel's deep voice quiet the pack.

They were speaking in quieter tones now. "Why this decision all of the sudden? When have you and that pup been courting?" Some one said louder.

"I know it seems sudden, but I care for her-"

"Yes, but she is a child, and an outsider we know nothing about and you just made her our Queen! Gabriel, she can't be having pups at this age."

Other voiced piped up and voiced their agreement. One voice stood out even more. "And is this a mutual agreement?" Esme asked. Adri gripped the front of her shirt and teared up. She didn't even know the answer to Esme's question.

Then the room went quiet and she didn't even hear Gabriel's response.

"Well?" Esme asked.

"Ask her for your self. Adri, I know your there."

She paused, and the grip on her shirt tightened. She did not want to face her 'new' pack as their new 'queen'. She finally turned and run up the stairs as fast as she could, knowing they could all hear her fleeting like a coward. She ran back to Gabriel's room and shut the door quickly and leaned her forehead against the door as she slide down to her knees and tried to stay calm. She was getting all worked up over nothing, but mating was for life, so was it nothing?

* * *

It was 2 in the morning and she had showered and shifted several times into her wolf form just to stretch, but she never left the room. She even made the bed and just to have something to do, messed it up again to only make it again. All this time, no one tried to come in or come near the door.

She laid on the bed again and whimpered. Mating wasn't terrible...she had a home, a job, and 'new' family in a sorts. Not only that, she would be accepted as being loup garoux here, as with humans, she would have to hide her true self from them. She even considered that Gabriel was seriously good looking and that he was a once in a life time find. But even then, the feeling in her chest kept on threating to get worse.

She evened out the pillows and divided the bed. Her's closet to the wall and his being the oppisite side were he usually laid. She gave him more pillows, as he was much larger than her. But dispite seperating the bed, she knew there would not be enough room and he would be in her space.

The door opened and she jumped in surprise and even more when it was Esme who walked in and not Gabriel. She looked away humilated and then hugged her knees.

"Adri..." Esme sat on the bed and touched the girl's knees. "Don't be ashamed. You were frightened, no one is mad."

Adri looked up and threw the blanket that was her hair, looked at the older woman. "I'm a coward. I couldn't go in there and do anything."

"Well, I wouldn't worry about that, but I think we need to talk about somethings." Esme looked at the window. "And it will be embrassing."

Adri blinked and then felt her face heat up. "I don't want to..."

Esme looked at her. "Oh no, not tonight, but in the near future, you will have to. If this relationship has both parties consent, that is."

Adri looked down and shrugged. "I hardly know anything about him, and he won't tell me with out getting angry or upset."

"Well, somethings are left in the dark for a while. He might not be ready to talk about it yet." Esme smoothed back Adri's hair. "So are you in this together or did he just declare this?"

Adri bit her lip. "While everyone was gone, we became good friends, and my parents died..."

"Oh honey, I'm so sorry." Esme held her hand.

Adri shrugged and looked back down. "He found me crying and he held me and then brought me in here to sleep beside him. But in the morning I guess I asked one question to many and he became cold and mean, and so we haven't been on good terms for a while."

"All in one week?"

"Yeah."

Esme sighed and looked around the room and then back at Adri. "But do you want to be with him?"

"Do I have a choice? I have no home, no family, and if I say no, I have a feeling that I will not have a job." Adri looked at her hands. "I have been thinking, its not like we are getting married."

"No, but mating is for life." Esme sat closer. "He's had it hard, and since you've come here, he's smiling like he means it. Its been a while since any one has seen that."

Adri smiled. "He has a nice smile..." She blushed and fidgetted.

Esme chuckled. "Yes, he does...he should be back about now, so go to bed and just make the boundries known." Esme got up and made her way to the door. "Oh, and let him tell you on his own time..."

* * *

**Okay, well, I guess here is another chap...**


	9. The Box of Answers

**Thanks for the reviews!! Finally...anyway keep 'em coming and I will keep writing!**

* * *

Adri, 3rd person

It was hot, and sticky that morning, and this time, she did not wake alone. The pillows, blanket, and her sweater was gone. She knew where the 3rd was, as she had removed it in her sleep but were was the pillows and the blanket? She slowly opened her eyes and was welcomed by the cool look of the ceiling. She smiled and she stretched, her hands touching something warm and soft, but calloused. She froze as the object moved and began to stroke her skin. She looked up to see a very large hand, and the fingers stroking her tinier ones.

She slowly looked off to her left to see the large man next to her. He was on his side and his eyes were closed. His breathing was even, indicating that he was still asleep and the touches were just automatic. She stared at him, studying her new mate. His lashes were long and dark, giving him a exotic look. His face was defined and his lips were in a sleep state, large and puckered. His muscles were strong and he was powerful and what he had to do to become alpha made her shiver. He was a beautiful man, there was no doubt, but she didn't know if she could do this if he couldn't tell her anything.

_On his own time, that's what Esme said..._She sighed and the breath moved a dark strand out of his face and made him smile in his sleep. She rolled on her side and he flinched, but didn't wake. She debated with herself for a moment then reached out and touched his cheek.

Since knowing him, she had found most of his scars on his neck and chest, but there were a couple that were hard to find. One in particular was the one on his cheek. Though not invisible, it was not easy to see unless you were close.

She blushed and moved away from the body next to her. She got out of the bed with little movement as possible and slid off the bed as quietly as she could. She looked back to see him still sleeping soundly and sighed in relief as she walked around the room, looking for items that may have belonged to her. But nothing was around that she saw was her's and she did not dare to open the boxes till Gabriel woke up.

She walked slowly into the bathroom and looked for a smaller towel that would fit her body, but she only found Gabriel's large green towel and his tolietries. She sighed. It was better to smell like a clean man than a dirty mutt.

She looked in every drawer and corner of the room finding nothing that could serve as a towel. She opened the closet door and found a flannel sheet above just in her reach. She smiled and pulled on the sheet and slowly let it come to her, but with it was an unidentified object she didn't see when she was looking before. Her reflexes quickly reacted and she caught the object, dropping the sheet on the floor. She looked back at Gabriel to find that he had not moved at all. She sighed in relief and looked at the object in her hands.

It was a heart shaped wooden box that was neatly carved and the finish was smooth and cool to the touch. She ran her hand over it and found it quite beautiful. She turned it over to see to intials carved into the back of the box. GPD. Who was GPD? She turned back over and pressed on the latch to open it.

She inhaled sharply as the first item identified itself to her. It was a picture of a beautiful woman with blonde hair and tan skin, almost resembling Esme. She set the picture back in the box and found another. It was a younger Gabriel with the same woman on the steps of some building she had never seen before, both smiling broadly and him holding her like she was more precious than gold. Picture after picture she found of Gabriel and this woman. She hit the bottom of the box and found a black book, looking like a journal, displaying a large G on the front of it and many wrinkled pages inside. Her heart fluttered. It was Gabriel's journal.

She looked back and her heart almost jumped out of her chest as he began to move and wake. She kept the book out and closed the box and returned it, along with the sheet, to it's original spot. She turned and kept the book behind her back. He was sitting up and rubbing sleep out of his eyes and yawning. He looked up at her and sighed deeply.

"Good morning." His voice was hoarse like he had been screaming.

"Morning..." It was a weak reply.

"You ok? You're all flushed." He got out of the bed and walked slowly toward her, his muscles rippling in each movement.

'I-I'm fine...I just need a towel...for a shower..." She was growing hot and her breathing became speratic. She stepped back.

"You sure?" He put his hand on her forehead and she ducked away from it.

"Yes, I just need a shower." She bit her lip.

He frowned for a moment then shrugged. "Then I'll go get one for you." He said with what she identified as distaste.

"Thank you..." She looked away.

He didn't respond and left the room quickly. As soon as she heard his foot steps fade she ran toward the bed and lift the mattress as high as she could, placing the book under it before letting it drop. If no one was going to tell her about Gabriel's past, then she would find out on her own.

* * *

**Tell me, how does this make you feel?**


	10. Lies and Defeat

**Thanks to the reviewers! You are great and I will keep on writing for your sake.**

* * *

Adri, 3rd person

Adri didn't feel ok. All the eyes on her at that moment bore into her skin like hot ambers and invisible marks on her. She swallowed and fell back into the chair more.

"She's nervous. Look at the poor thing." She heard a whisper from the side.

"She wasn't cut out for this."

"No one is cut out for this."

"Shh, she isn't deaf."

"Well some one needs to say something."

Gabriel entered the room and all the pack members quieted. Gabriel looked around till he found Adri sitting deeply in a chair, her leg bouncing and her hair covering most of her beet red face. He sat in the chair next to her and looked at his pack, waiting for the uproar to begin.

"Evening. I presume you already know why I called a pack meeting." His voice was smooth and almost velvet like, not the dark and depressed tone she was used to.

Everyone else seemed shocked as well but they all voiced their knowing or just nodded. Esme just stared at Adri, waiting for something to happen but Adri didn't know what.

"Well, I know this is way sudden, but we are both in agreement-"

"I want to hear it from her mouth, not yours." Esme looked sharply at Gabriel. "Something doesn't seem right here."

Gabriel eyed her down with his cool gaze and then nodded and looked at Adri. She looked at him and shook her head. She didn't like talking in such a crowd, especially a large sort of hostile crowd. He frowned and reached over and nudged her. "Your people want you to talk to them."

She closed her eyes. It was a price for being the mate of the alpha. "Yes."

Everyone murmed and Esme shook her head. "Yes, what?"

"I agreed. I was just surprise at first...its really no big deal." She bit her lip and tried not to hide behind her hair. She tucked it behind her ear.

"No it is." A voice from the back made everyone's attention draw to it. Ulf sat there with the rest of the remaining Five. They all looked at the pair sitting infront of the pack.

"You want to know why? It was sudden for us as well, not even passed by the mother of his former mate and no courting or way of knowing that you are put out for this, that is why it is a big deal." Ulf's chest puffed up.

Adri saw Gabriel's cold look coming back to his face when Ulf had said 'former mate'. He tensed and then looked at the ground.

"It just happens Ulf. Sometimes you don't have an explaination." Gabriel's voice had also turned cold.

"But we need one. She started working her about what...4 weeks ago? I don't know but it hasn't been very long and most of the time you are running in the woods out back. You spent little time with her. Then when we left last week for the vacation you were left here for a week, but out for 3 out of 7 of those days. You had 4 days to make this decision based on what?" Ulf was turning red in the face, his asthsma getting the better of him.

"Drop it." Gabriel bit out. Ulf's tough exterior dropped and he went back to the quiet boy. Gabriel looked up. "So this is what it's about?" He looked around his pack. "I thought it would be because she hadn't proved herself to be an alpha female or you were worried that I was forcing her to do this, but that is the true reason?"

Esme shook her head. "No. My problem is is that she is very young, granted Vivian was younger, but so were you. Not only that Gabriel but you will want pups in the next 2/3 years and can you expect a girl who wants to go to college give up her dream for this?"

"I will. I am." Adri spoke up, tired of the accusations and everyone voicing concerns she had already come to terms with. "When I agreed, I agreed. I won't be going to college, I am in this 100% and we have been mated longer than you think." She almost smacked herself for the last part.

Everyone began to get louder with the murmering and Esme seemed even more shocked. "How long then?"

Gabriel leaned closer to her. "What?"

"Um...go with it." She was turning red again. Gabriel went back to his chair and crossed his arms. Adri sighed. "About 3 weeks."

"That doesn't make sense!"

"What do you mean?"

"What are we missing here?"

"Silence!" Esme yelled glaring at the pack. "Let her finish." She nodded at Adri.

Adri tried to breath deeper so she wouldn't go into hysteria. "Well...we've known eachother longer than you think...we meet..." She looked at Gabriel and bit her lip.

"On one of my runs." He finished for her. "About 5 weeks ago. Kept bumping into eachother."

"That's why I applied here, because I wanted to see him again." Adri spilled out. This was getting easier.

"And thats why I let you hire her, because I knew who she was."

Adri nodded. Esme leaned her cheek against her hand and nodded. "So when did courting start?"

"Um...well...see..."

"We started actually seeing eachother after she was hired. When you left we had a minor fight and she thought we were over and that was why it was a shock." Gabriel continued and twiddled his thumbs. "So...yeah. Sorry."

Everyone looked at eachother and Ulf tilted his head. "Still not a long time."

"No, no. I understand that, but there is just something about here."

"Well then I propose that we set up a trial courting, under pack supervision, to see if this mating can be approved of." Orlando said in his gruffy voice. "Its a win/win situation and should be no problem for you two."

Adri looked at Gabriel. "Um..."

"Done. We'll have a trial courting for the eyes of the pack."

"All in favor," Esme asked the pack members. "Please say aye."

The pack rang out with lots of ayes and Adri felt a surge of relief over come her.

"All against, say nay."

"Nay." The Five's corner was the only one to agree to no.

Gabriel looked up and his gaze met Ulf's. Ulf looked away. "Nothing personal Gabe, it just doesn't feel right."

"Well it is agreed then out of majority rule. The trial courtship starts now."

* * *

Regular 3rd person as I am to lazy to follow just one person

"Fucking ridiculous I have to prove shit like this to my pack." Gabriel mumbled while going up the last of the stair before his room. Adri trailed behind him not looking up or saying anything, afraid that is would upset him more.

"Why do we have to have a reason? Unbelievable." He opened the door and slammed it open, causing Adri to flinch. Noticing her reaction to his outburst Gabriel calmed down and sighed. "I'm sorry. Are you alright?"

"I've been better." She shrugged and entered the room. She closed the door and looked at him. He was looking at her with a confused expression. "What?"

"That was some crazy lie you came up with. Believable, but it took me by surprise."

"They wouldn't have let you go if I didn't do something." She said in a low tone.

He sat on the bed and ran a hand through his hair. "Well thank you...I guess."

She walked quietly over to him and stood right infront of him. When he was sitting on the bed they were almost eye to eye and she felt more couragous this way. "Yes and you owe me."

"Hm?" He looked at her. "Owe you?"

"Yes. You do. An apology for last week when you tossed me aside like I was just another whore in your bed." She snapped at him. She tucked her hair behind her ears and stared him down.

"Wait a second-" His eyes turned hard.

"No. In my family, laying in some one else's bed and being covered by their scent is like sleeping with some one. You did that and I felt like your mate, so I considered it till you refused to tell me why you didn't want to be mated or have a partner. I felt betrayed, but it is also my fault as I was careless and forgot not all packs are the same as mine." She tried to stay strong, but he was melting her resolve.

"You...you considered me your mate when I let you sleep in my bed?" He looked at her and raised an eyebrow. "That was a custom in you pack?"

"My pack was very traditional."

"Uh-huh...I see, so to you we've been mated for, lets see, 4 days?" He crossed his arms and tilted his head.

"Yes." She swallowed. "Don't tease me like that. I know we were different but it was strict for a reason."

"So you feel like I really screwed you over?" He stood up.

"Yes..." She began to feel useless again.

"Well then I am sorry." He sighed. "Even though I have never heard of such a crazy tradition."

"Its not crazy." Her fists balled up.

"Sorry, fine." He sat down again.

"Also." He looked at her. "I want to know..."

"Know what?" He frowned.

"Who is Vivian?" She asked quietly.

His face hardened and his eyes became very cold. He tensed and looked at her as if she had laid a curse on him. "What? Who told you about that?"

"N-no-no one...I just saw this picture and Esme said it was her daughter Vivian." She backed up a little.

"So you know who she is." He kept his gaze on her. "So drop it."

"B-but who was she to you? I just want to know..."

He stood up again and kept his head high. "Some things are best left in the dark and never brought up again. If you try to pry into this any more, you are not the only one who will suffer."

She gapped at him. "Are you threating me?" She began to tremble.

He saw her reaction and her trembles. He could almost see the tears forming in her eyes and the fear that was dripping from her aura. He relaxed and backed up a little. "No...just a warning."

"If you can't tell me then I will ask Esme."

"No. Don't you dare." He shook his head.

"I will-"

"What part of leave it the fuck alone don't you get girl?" He snapped. "I won't discuss this shit any more and you need to let it go."

Adri could feel the tears running down her face like a water fall. She gasped and covered her mouth. There was no reason for her to cry. She had done this to her self so why was she crying?

"Adri-"

"I should go." She made her way to the door. "I'm going to go for a run."

"Adri-"

"I'll see you tomorrow." She left quickly and quietly.

"Dear moon...don't let me loose another one."

* * *

**Well ok, here you guys go. It was harder this time, but next chapter I promise we will get into that journal that she found. Chao!**


	11. A Good Kid

**2 chapters in 1 day! Yay! Go me!**

**3rd random cause to lazy .**

Adri couldn't keep her mind on one thing at the desk. Jenny had taken the day off and asked Adri to fill for her so she could take care of the baby who had just aquired a cold.

She was still upset about her and Gabriel's fight and his sudden anger toward her. This morning she was in the shower and he had forgotten to knock and then yelled at her because she didn't lock the door. That and he was edgy. Last night she had woken to find him looking out the window in a grief stricken state and she wanted to get up and ask him what was wrong but then she knew.

Now he was tired and snappy at everyone else today and she, suffering from both exhaustion and anxiety was so fidgety to notice Esme talking to her.

"Adri, honey, you're spacing." Esme waved a hand in her face.

Adri snapped back alittle bit and looked up at Esme. "Sorry."

"You ok? Did you hear me?" Esme's mouth thinned out and bunched on one side.

"Um...no sorry. I'm very tired." Adri rubbed her face and looked up at Esme.

Adri's heart stopped. Did they know that is was all a lie? "I know. I heard, everyone heard. Very nice." Esme raised one eyebrow. "You need to stop being a prude now that you are mated."

"Wai-what?" Adri blinked and turned bright red.

"Spread those legs and make the man happy for crying out loud honey. He _is _your mate." Esme scoffed and chuckled at Adri's flustered look. "Come on now."

Adri turned away and hid her face. "I-I don't think so..." She fumbled with papers. "I don't do that..."

"Don't do that?" Esme scoffed again. "You're old enough, your mated, you share the same bed and honey, you said yesterday you were ready for pups." Esme turned the chair around. "You're scared of him, aren't you?"

"N-no! I'm not...just..." Adri looked away. "What were you talking about." She changed the subject and sighed.

"Nice..." Esme backed away. "Well, pack is going for a run tonight. Full moon. You up?"

Adri shook her head and messed with her pointer finger. "No...I need to be alone to think about a couple things..."

"Like what?"

"Mated life. If I am really up for that." Adri's voice was low and hard to hear.

Esme bent down a bit and came face to face with Adri. "You know I really like you. I do. But you can lie to the pack like that and pull Gabe along. You are a threat. You can't lie to me like that. I know better." Esme's voice was lathered with venom and her eyes were hard. "So tell me the truth little girl."

Adri's breathing had become harder and her heart almost jumped out of her chest. Her mouth parted a little bit and she inhaled as if to say something but she was interupted. "Esme, leave her alone and get back to work. I need some one to leash the Five in."

Esme kept her hard look on Adri and stood up straight and turned toward the speaker. She looked at him with the same tone. "Same with you Gabriel. You can only lie to your pack for so long."

Gabriel was leaning againt the wall with a pose that said 'dangerous' in every way. He returned the harsh glare with his own and stood up straight and came with in inches of Esme. Her power seemed to dim when he gave her that look of disapproval.

"How about you leave this alone. Stay out of our business and our sex life." His voice was sweet, but Adri knew what message he was really sending to Esme.

"Your business is pack businees. I won't make it public but I won't let myself be lied to."

"Then don't, but back of off Adri." Gabriel nodded back. "Now leave my mate and I." He stepped aside and kept the glare on his former lover and former mother-in-law.

She let her emotions say all in her look as she passed him and made her way down the corridor out the back way of the inn. When Gabriel was sure she was gone he looked at Adri. She flinched and turned away from him, not ready to face him or the swirl of confusing emotions that stirred inside of her when he was around.

"You're not gonna look at me?" She heard him lean against the wall again the felt the small tremors that came with the movement. "You gonna ignore me all day?"

Adri kept her gaze at the papers and wrote down a few notes. "I don't need to talk when I have nothing to say."

The silence that filled the next minute chilled Adri and made her jittery. She didn't know if he was still there or if he had left and she didn't want to check in fear that he would notice her search for him and take it all the wrong way.

The last thing she wanted to come off as is as a desprate mate looking for her partner. But when she felt the chair being moved against her will, she knew it was him.

The chair was moved so she was facing him and he was bent down so he would come face to face with her. She inhaled sharply as his scent hit her nostrils. A sharp scent of bar soap and a faint smell of oil made her toes curl. He smelt like a man who had been working and now he was hung for his woman. She also smelled the arousal he was in always in. He was worse than a dog in heat.

"Adri...we need to act like mate now, ok? So do me a favor and help me help you." His breath flowed over her cheeks and lit her up like fire.

"I don't know how to do this. I've never had a boyfriend let alone a mate." She shivered. "Your gonna have to help me first."

He laughed softly and smiled sadly. "Wow, I am dealing with a kid here, uh?"

"I'm not a kid." She huffed turning red. "I may be 17, but you don't know me at all."

"Somethings, yes, but no, your right I don't really know you." He leaned closer to her. "But I would like to know what little Adri is like when she isn't on good behavior." His lips brushed her cheek bone.

Adri glared at the floor and tensed. "I'm not like that."

He smirked against her skin. "I'm not either and I wasn't talking like that." He pulled away from her a little bit. "I was saying you aren't yourself with me and that is really irritating. I'm not up for babying my mate all the time and the alpha shouldn't have to unless necessary." He looked at her lips. "Though a kiss would be nice."

She blushed even brighter. "No! I mean...not now..."

"Why not?" He raised his brows. "No one is looking."

She looked away and shook her head. "Just...not now." She felt defeated. He backed away from her and she stood quietly and rushed past him, leaving him standing there with a heavy silence.

* * *

Adri laid on the bed she had just made and hugged her pillow closer. Why couldn't she kiss him? It was a casual kiss, not any thing that would have outraged her. Or so she hoped. But it would be her first kiss, and that was the scary part.

She rolled on her back and then she remembered. _He doesn't trust you enough to tell you about his past, so why should you trust him?_

She rolled off the bed and lifted the mattress, grabbed the book and locked the door. She looked around just to reassure herself she was alone. If she got caught it would mean more than trouble.

She carefully sat on the bed and didn't hesitate to open the book and reveal the first secret to her. She took a deep breath and looked at the date first.

_June 23 2004_

That was almost 5 years ago. Maybe less. She read on.

_I finally got Vivan's ass out of the house now the she is back to normal. Since she has been declared my mate since the Ordeal, her and I have not spent time together at all, unless an occasional meeting that she wasn't all for._

_Now it is like we are attached at the hip. She even said she wants to move in with me till the pack moves to Vermont to the new inn. I see why not. Her mother though said it would be better if she stayed with her till they moved as she wanted to spend more time with her daughter since she had finally come out of her room._

_But sweet moon this girl has me tied around her fingers and I'm always thinking about her and when I do...my heart feels like its about to burst. When she runs beside me, and I can hear her paws hitting the ground, it takes all of me not to take her down and screw the hell out of her. She knows the animal that I am, she has one too, I think, but since I'm using a journal to easy my feelings I should tell you dearest paper:_

_I am damn horny._

_Gabriel D._

It took Adri a second to comprehend what she had just read. This person had to be a different Gabriel, as this one was more carefree and happy about just being. She turned the page to find another one.

_June 30, I think_

_Damn it, damn, damn. We have finally mated, and we are now offical. I have never been so happy in my life and right now the sun is up and I have no idea what time it is but I really don't give a damn._

_That sweet girl has moved in with me and she has done me well since doing so. Cooking, cleaning...other things and the runs are getting longer and perhaps leading to more things with Vivan._

_She is also painting more and more often, and each painting is like deja vou, since most of them are about our runs. One was a man standing naked by a river looking back at some one and hte look in his eyes could tell all. She is very talented._

_But she is waking so I best just go and make her tired again._

_G.D._

Adri felt the pain in her chest tighting and making her heart hurt. Vivian must have been Gabriel's first mate. His first true love. She was torn from her thoughts as the door handle jiggled and the door shook.

She quickly stuck the book under the mattress again as a voice called through the door. "Adri? Let me in, why are you locking my door?" It was Gabriel.

She hurried over to the door and opened it. "Because you told me if I didn't want to be seen naked that I should lock the doors."

He looked down at her and shook his head. "Aye, girl." He went into the room and Adri felt more than a determination to become a better mate.

She shut the door and leaned against it and watched as he removed his shirt and shook his hair, ruffling it with his hand and letting out a tired breath. She shivered as he did and made his muscles ripple.

He noticed too. He smirked and dropped the shirt. "Hm, looks like you found something that you like."

Oh sweet moon he isn't going to give this up, she thought as the look on his face relaxed a bit and he began to approach her. She was frozen against the door but she didn't show her fear. She was his mate, this was natural, its natural, its natural. He stopped infront of her and she looked up at him.

"You are one beautiful girl, has anyone told you that?" He smiled gently and ran his fingers across her cheek and tucked a strand behind her ear. She shook her head and kept looking up at him.

"Well you are." He bent down a little an picked her up flush against him, causing a sound of surprise escape from her and she clutched to him. He chuckled. "You afraid of heights?"

"N-no! Just was surprised, thats all." She suddenly wrapped her legs around him. "Just don't drop me."

"Adri..." His breath tickled her ear. "I'm feeling quite tired, but here you are, in my clothes, again, and your lips have never looked so good."

This talk made her blush and she looked away. It was true, it was becoming a habit of wearing his clothes to bed. But she didn't think an over sized t-shirt on her little body would be sexy in any way.

"Are you going to the run tonight?"

She shook her head. "No...I don't run with others...I run alone."

He tilted his head. "Why?" He nuzzled her neck and she squirmed a little.

"Because I'm not a beautiful wolf and I run slow..." She winced as he bit her ear.

"I can't go as I was not invited and it was only the women of the pack. You should go, to get to know the other women and get used to being their alpha female." He sat on the bed and she went to move away but he held her still. "Are you afraid of them?"

She looked down. "No...I'm just not that social. I...I was the kid that even the loners and the nerds didn't even talk to."

_Vivie_. He thought and he looked over Adri's face. "Well...you have a new family and you are allowed to have friends."

She looked at him and smiled. This sounded more like the Gabriel that she had just read about, the real Gabriel. She leaned her head against his shoulder and folded into him. She felt him tense for only a second, probably out of surprise but then he wrapped his arms around her.

"You're a good kid. Do me a favor and stay this way."

* * *

**Omg! Sigh of relief, got it done. R&R and to my faithful reviewer, you keep me writing, so tell me if you want anything changed or share an idea as it may help. Chao!**


	12. Stress and Kisses

**Thank you for the reviews! I am going to prolong some things and keep some things secret from you till the time comes, keeps the suspense going ;)**

**Any way, tell me if you guys have any ideas. I'm not running out I'm just seeing what my readers would like or expect out of the material they are reading.**

**Any way, read, enjoy, review!**

**Chao!**

* * *

******3rd person (decided to with Adri till further notice)**

It had been raining all day and the inn was empty once more. Gabriel had explained that what they ran was a seasonal inn, mostly during the summer and spring time, but when it ended, the pack would find other jobs and seasonally work with other employers.

Adri on the other hand, would stay with Esme, Reneta, and Regina to keep the inn in tact and to do other things around the area. When Adri heard all of this she looked at Gabriel with wide eyes.

"Your leaving too?" It was almost a pathetic accusation.

"No. I live here year round. I work in a mechanic shop down the mountain. Grease monkey for the winter." He picked up a plate from the counter and dished up as much meat as possible. Tonights dinning was pork roast and mashed potatoes and chilled green beans. Gabriel avoided those at all costs.

"So I'm not allowed to get a job?"

"Your job is here, Adri." He chuckled and waited for her to finish retrieving her dinner. "We hired you as an office assistant and that is a year round job."

"Oh." She wrinkled her nose at the smell of the green beans. No way was she eating those.

He chuckled and ruffled her hair. "Come on."

* * *

He wasn't kidding when he said the inn cleared out and everyone went for another job. About a week later Gabriel started waking up at 5 in the morning and left before six. Adri never work to say good bye to him as she was deeper sleeper than she realized. But when he returned home a quick run into the woods and back always made up for not saying good bye in the mornings.

But after so long being left alone with 3 women who didn't believe in the relationship took a toll. She would help the ladies with whatever they needed. It was her job. But she was not cut out to be the punching bag of their frustrations.

"Adri, damn it, did you get that filing done? I mean 3 days kiddo?" Esme looked over her shoulder and Adri sighed.

"Yes its done." She said calmly. She went threw another pile of papers that she had to prepare for Gabriel to look over. "I just am getting these ready for Gabriel."

Esme took the papers and looked over them. "Adri, I do this, not you." She gave Adri a stern look.

"I thought that if it went on my desk I was supposed to look at it." Adri's patience was wearing thin.

Esme shook her head. "Not your desk, Adri. Its the office desk and the one who runs the office looks at these."

"So Gabriel?"

Esme set the papers down and scratched the back of her head. She looked at Adri and nodded. "Yeah. These are bills and maintance. Some of this stuff he needs to look over." She turned and walked away from Adri.

But after that, the tension in the inn only esculated and Adri tried to stay away from them as much as possible. Reneta stressed over cleaning, Regina stressed about outside work, and Esme just stressed. And it all stressed Adri.

Gabriel began to notice after a while. He'd come home and Adri would slink to their room and Esme would be snappy with him. The stress level in the inn was taking a toll on all of them now.

He left Adri alone at night so she wouldn't feel pressured to talk to him. He didn't want her more upset than she already was. And now the silence was dragging him and her down.

Adri brushed her teeth and combed her hair while Gabriel took off his shirt and pulled back the covers on the bed. She shut the light off and crawled into bed next to him as he turned off the light. The silence hung heavy.

He cleared his throat and ran his hand through his hair. "So...weekend is here, you sleeping in in the morning?"

She nodded and rolled over. "Yeah..."

He felt the movement and his sight in the dark was better than any human's. He even saw her facial expression. He rolled over to face her and touched her arm with his hand. "Adri...you can tell me."

"Just stressed...lots of work and only 4 people to do it..." She leaned toward his touch. "Esme had been on my ass the past week and the others have been really irritating with were things go."

Gabriel chuckled. "My inn, but they run it and what they say goes. When you become the co-manager-" He stopped.

"Co-manager?"

"Thats if you want to stay..." He said quietly, but her loup garou ears picked it up.

She frowned and scooted closer to him. "I'm not gonna leave Gabriel." She laid her head on his arm. They hadn't been this close in a week and she could tell that she herself needed that physical contact that they had been building.

He smiled and stroked her hair away from her face. The silky strands slid through his fingers and the scent reached his nostrals. The smell of tropical fruit made him smile. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply.

"Good." He closed the distance between them and laid his forehead on hers. She shivered when his breath flowed over her cheeks. He smiled.

"I'm not good at this...am I?" She tucked her head under his chin. The warmth and smell of his body surrrounded her.

"At what?" He wrapped his arms around her.

"Being your mate."

He frowned slightly and looked down at her. "Why would you say that?"

She bit her lip. "Well, we are on the line. We are constantly being watched and I don't like to be touched in public, so they get suspicous. Then...we haven't...you know..."

He scoffed. "We do not have to till you are ready. That doesn't make you a bad mate."

"Its just that you are my mate and it should be ok, so I don't understand why I'm holding back." She closed her eyes.

He shook his head. "Don't think like that. If you don't feel like its time, then we'll hold off for a while more."

"But its time." She sighed. "My family believed that it was a duty for the woman to meet all her mate's needs the moment they began the relationship."

"But what do you believe?" He asked.

"To make you happy and make it work. You deserve it." She thought back to Vivian. He probably missed being intament with someone.

"I don't want to till you do." He swallowed thickly. It made him sick that she would hand something so precious over to him so easily without a second thought.

"I do." She tried to keep calm.

He sighed and looked down at her. "Once this is done there is no going back."

"I know. I'll do it." She clutched his shirt and buried her head in his chest. "I just want to make you happy."

He smiled sadly. She was more than sweet. But this was something that was the most precious thing in her life and handing it over to some one because it was her duty as a mate rubbed him the wrong way. She should do it because she loved him and she actually wanted to.

"Then do me a favor and don't try to rush yourself because you felt like you had to. I don't want to be a regret." He ran his fingers against her cheek.

She shivered. "Kiss me...please."

He smiled softly and completely closed the distance between them and pressed his lips to hers. Giving her her first kiss.


	13. Mistaken Love

**Thank you for all the reviews, absolutly amazing! BUT YOU MUST READ MY NOTES CAUSE I HAVE A QUESTION! How many of you would be upset if I changed the rating of my story to M?**

**

* * *

**

Let me know, we'll have a vote.

* * *

Adri woke wrapped around Gabriel and him holding her tightly. His body was tightly pressed to hers and his arousal was apparent and not by smell. She blushed brightly and moved slightly, snapping him awake. He groaned and released her noticing how tightly he was holding her. She wiggled out of his arms and adjusted her shirt and ran a hand through her hair and tried to shake off her embrassment. He rubbed his face and yawned.

"Good morning baby." He smiled.

"Um...morning." She smiled nervously.

He tilted his head and reached out and stroked her leg. "You ok, you seem upset."

"Um...you...my stomach..." She blushed. She had never experianced something like this before and she had no idea how to tell Gabriel what was going on.

"You sick? Stomach hurts?" He sat up and reached toward her.

She jerked away and shook her head. "N-n-no...you, um..." She pointed to the direction of the problem and he looked down. He sighed and looked back up at Adri.

"It happens to all men." He covered himself. "Its normal."

She scratched her head and took a deep breath. "It...um touched me..."

He began to chuckle which turned into a laugh. He found it funny. She was embrassed by her mate's body parts touching her and he had never seen some one so red with embrassment.

"Why are you laughing?" She flustered up and her lips went into a pout.

He grabbed her hand and pulled her near to him, despite her protests. "You were willing to give yourself to me last night but you can't handle morning wood? What are you going to do when it is time?"

A sense of dread overcame both of them at his words. She just made it look like she wasn't ready to be with him. His thoughts were even more concerned. She couldn't do this. If she couldn't handle this little incident then how could she handle mating him and having his pups?

He cleared his throat and sat up. "I gotta get cleaned up...go check in the office for bills."

"Gabr-" She choked and covered her mouth. "I didn't mean like that..."

"Sokay Adri...it's ok." He held her again. "Adri, not a big deal."

"It is, ok." She jerked away. "You have now idea what I grew up with, what things mean, how it works with me. I should have given myself to you the moment you said I was yours. Thats how it was suppose to be. I am a freaking coward!" She began to cry. If her mother or father was here, they would have been more than angry with her.

"Adri, enough. Stop, don't cry, its ok." Gabriel stroked back her hair. "You are in my pack now, not theirs and we do it way more differently than they do. You are not a coward. A coward would have ran the moment I said you were mine, a coward could not have stood up to the pack." He kissed her forehead. "But does it bother you so much?"

"I just want to make you happy."

He closed his eyes and sighed and pulled her closer to her. "You yourself makes me happy..."

"Not like Vivian did..." She whispered.

He pulled away and looked down at her. "What?"

She looked away. He dropped his arms and he frowned. "I thought we agreed to drop that."

"No, you yelled at me to let it go, but Gabriel...I want to know and I want to know from you not other pack members." She left out the journal. She knew that was officially off limits.

"I can't tell you. I won't tell you and you will never know." He was getting agitated now. His muscles were tense and his lips were thinned out.

"No, I will. This isn't fair." She clenched her jaw. "You act like this is life or death but I know its not."

"The problem isn't that is may be life or death, it is the matter of if you would stay with me if you knew." His voice's tone lowered. "Just stop asking, stop wondering, it will hurt us."

She swallowed. "If you can't trust me with the story of your past then how can I trust you with me or our pups?"

His head raised haughtily and she could see most of his scars. The look in his eyes became dark and almost emotionless. She felt her heart sink more into her body. "What happened to Vivian?"

He looked away and clenched his fists. He was more than angry. He was trembling now and the muscles of his body had become completely taunt. She had always known why he was this pack's alpha, but the look of him now made it more than a apprarent.

"I don't care if you killed 100 people, I won't leave you." She reached out and touched his arm. At the contact he yanked his arm away. She retracted her hand like she had just touched a hot burner.

"Adri, leave the room." He was looking down.

"I'm sorry..." She felt like a kicked puppy. He looked angry but she knew he wasn't. "Gabe, I'm sorry, please." She stood up and tried to touch him again.

"Get out. Just please get out." He couldn't hold it and he could feel his posture of a man let go. He began to cry soundlessly. He closed his eyes and turned from Adri. He didn't want her to see him like this.

She stood frozen and she knew she had gone to far. This time she hit him to hard. And she had seen the tears. The tears that were streaming down his face like a waterfall. And it was her fault.

"Gabe, don't cry please." She touched his back and it went ridged. She ran her hands over his back and pressed her face into the middle of his back. "I'm sorry..." She gripped his shirt tight and nuzzled him. But she knew that this wolf was past apologies.

"Adri, you need to leave..." He kept still.

"I promise I won't do it again, please. I'm really sorry...I'll stop." She whimpered.

"You need to pack your bags and move to a different room. I was an idiot and thought I could have another mate, I was terribly wrong." He stepped away from her and turned to face her.

She felt like a mouse against the lion, and this time, it was fear that Adri felt when his angry ice eyes meet her green ones. She shook her head and held her arms tightly to her chest like a protective vest over her heart. "No, I said I was sorry...please...I-I love you..." She trembled, but when she realized what she said she stood there like a deer in head lights. _Oh sweet moon...I am an idoit. _

His eyes widened and his sadness began to fade away. She just said she loved him. And she was begging for forgiveness. He didn't know how he didn't see it before. She was always trying to make him happy, she put up with the other women and pack memebers for his sake and now she was close to being on hands and knees, showing her belly to him the whole way, asking for forgiveness. He stepped back a little more and he saw her crumble even more before his eyes and the things she was saying now were becoming incoherent. He didn't need her. She needed him.

"Stop." It came out sharp and harsh and she flinched. He shook his head. "You just said you love me. Do you understand what you are saying to me?"

She sniffled and wiped her tears away with her sleeve. "Yes...been wanting to say it for a while now." She sounded pathetic, but what else could she do?

"Adri do you know the seriousness and commitment those words mean to our people." He approached her slowly.

"Yes..." She shook her head. "Seems like it doesn't matter any more though...you don't want me..." The tears that were dryed didn't matter as new ones came down her cheeks.

"I didn't say I didn't want you." He frowned. "Adri-"

"I'm a mistake." She said finally. "I just happened and I was the mistake you needed to show them that you were capable of being alpha, that you had moved on." She walked over to the mattress and picked it up, retrieved the black book and set the mattress down and went to face him. She held out the book. "I only got to read the first two. I wanted to hear it from you."

He stared at the book and then looked at her and then opened the book. It was his journal, from when Vivian was alive. His frown turned deeper and his jaw clenched. "You went through my things?"

"It fell on me while I was retrieving a sheet from the closet. The whole box did." She kept her eyes on the ground.

"Box?" His frown faded.

"Your heart shaped box."

He clenched the book and swallowed. "What else did you see?"

"The pictures. You and her, some where...I don't know were. She was pretty...like Esme..." She hugged herself.

His eyes followed to the spot she was staring at which was her socks. "Adri...you went through my box?"

"I had to pick up the stuff off the floor." That was a lie, but she was already to deep to tell the truth, plus he could never find that out.

"I see. So you took my journal?" He held it up to make a point.

"I wasn't meaning to hurt you. Just to learn more about you and it was filled so...I'm sorry. You can beat me if you want..." She closed her eyes.

He was taken back by the last comment. "Why would I beat you?"

"Because my dad would beat mom when she got out of line; he was alpha too." She looked up at him. "So whatev-"

"Did he hurt you too? Is that how the pack was ran, if daddy didn't like it, then it didn't happen?"

She felt cornered, but he was right. She nodded slowly. "But he never hurt me...I was his baby, so he said."

"That's sick that you would like me touch you like that." He dropped the book. "Fine. I am pissed, I am not going to lie, but here is the deal, Adri-"

"Oliva." She blurted out.

He looked at her confused. "What?"

"My first name is Oliva, my middle name was Adriana and my brother wanted me to be a boy so he called me Adri and it stuck." She said in a small voice.

"Ok, Oliva, this is how this is going to work. I will never harm you that way, unless you go against pack laws and that is usually dealt with by pack memembers and I hope that you never face that. 2 I will not tolerate this." He pointed to the book on the floor. "That is lying and it is deceitful and I don't tolerate things like that. And...I don't want to talk about Vivian...it is a wound that will never heal and you will never fix, so drop it. Maybe one day but today is not the day."

She nodded slowly.

"Finally...you don't have to be like this baby...I won't hurt you for making a mistake or if you don't want to fuck me, I'm fine with that. I know that you may love me, but if you are not ready to hand that over, fine, I can handle no sex for a while, that is not an obligation you have to fullfil. Same with the pups. Understand?"

She nodded and the shaking increased. She looked up and into his eyes. He was angry, he had every right to be, but he was forgiving her. She smiled sadly and then looked down at the floor.

He scratched his head and eyes her suspicously. She was gorgous. Vivian might have had her beat in the body department but the face this girl had was not of the vixen Vivian was, but of an angel, a very sweet angel. She had wide green eyes, soft face and a perfect peaches and creme complexion, and her lips, Gabriel loved kissing those lips. But had her own problems and she was lost. Very lost.

"Gabriel..." Adri piped up and looked at him.

He looked back up at her face. "Hm?"

"I'm ready."

* * *

**Alright I am thinking of changing the rating peeps so tell me if thats ok with you guys.**


	14. You Should Know What You're Getting Into

**OMG! Thank you for all those fabulous reviews! I also asked if it was ok to turn it to M, and I was advised to do so, as this chapter will contain smut and lemons, YAY. But any way those reviews are what keep me writing, so keep telling me how you feel about chapters and characters, like if you feel Gabriel is out of character.**

**Chao!**

* * *

Gabriel and Adri had parted ways for the day, deciding it was best to leave each other alone before tonight, which Gabriel agreed to only if Adri would give all day to think about it. And she had never felt so sure in her life.

She loved him. People in love can do it, right? Well it seemed like a one sided love, but even then, she was content with the arrangement. She just wished Gabriel was too.

Breakfast was quiet with the 5 of them at the table. Esme looking like she hadn't slept well and Regina and Reneta eyeing Gabriel like he was about to spring on them violently.

"Sunday...hate sundays...worst day of the week." Esme sighed and stabbed her fruit on the plate. "Can we take the day off, we're exhausted." No lie, any one could see that the 4 women at the table were completely shot.

Gabriel shrugged and looked at the others. "You agree with that?"

Reneta

nodded and sighed. "We've worked 7 days straight and haven't ran since last week, and I need to go running tonight. New moon is coming soon so changing is going to be more sparse."

Regina rested her chin in her palm. "Thought we'd go into town and stay with my sister tonight for an all girls run. Leave you and Adri alone for a while."

Esme chuckled. "They wouldn't do any thing Gina. Look she is as innocent as they come, cute as hell to boot. Gabriel is not a big bad wolf and will go stealing virginities."

Reneta burst out laughing. "Good moon, they are mated Esme! I bet rabbits have nothing on them!" She covered her face.

Gabriel had become extremely quiet and Adri was blushing bright red. She wasn't as innocent as Esme claimed she was, but she was not a rabbit by any means. Gabriel on the other hand was another story, but as a couple, there was no such thing as a sex life. Adri suddenly felt guilt and her appitite faded. She bit her lip and slowly excused herself from the table. Gabriel rubbed his face and set down his fork.

Esme's laughing seized and she looked at Gabriel. She raised her eyebrow. "You're kidding...she hasn't shown you her belly yet?"

Regina stopped laughing as well. "What?"

Gabriel leaned back into the chair and inhaled deeply and let it out slowly. "No. She has, but I haven't taken up on the offer yet."

"Why not? If she's willing, ya think I'd be waking up to head board slamming and noises by now." Reneta laced her fingers together.

"I was her first kiss..." He clenched his jaw. "I will be her first everything and I don't know if she is ready for that."

"Gabe." Esme turned toward him. "She is telling you she is ready. She's gonna go into heat sometime and trust me, once you go into heat, the desire and need becomes painful and she will be doing you in your sleep. I'd hurry up."

"Its not like that." He shook his head. "She's just a kid and a good one. I feel like I'd be a mistake." He leaned his head back.

"I thought you were both willingly in this together." Reneta said slowly. "Am I wrong?"

"No, your not. Just...complicated. I don't want her to make a mistake and I don't want to be the one she gives it to and I not be the 'one'." He sat up.

Regina nodded and pointed her finger at him. "Then let her deal with it. She wanted to become a woman by being her mate, let her." She tapped the table. "You can't protect her from all her mistakes she will make. Even though this one will envolve you."

"Besides...I know a look of love when I see one. She is past the head over heels stage." Esme stood up. "Just screw the little bitch." She picked up her plate and took it into the kitchen area. "And it is also your day for dishes."

* * *

Adri had wandered deep into the woods, wearing only one of Gabriel's shirts and her underwear. She wanted to run far away at that moment but Gabriel's scent on the shirt stopped her. She was being a coward again. She wanted to mate him and she wanted to have a life with him. One day they were going to have pups. One day they were going to have to do this in order to have those pups.

She let out her pony tail and shook her hair and stretched toward the sky, her finger tips going as far as they possibly could. She reached up on her toes and arched her back. When she was younger her mother was a ballet teacher, so she taught Adri to dance and that was were Adri's passion was. Ballet.

Before coming down from the pose, some one grabbed her hips and by the scent she knew she did not have to be alarmed. She fell into the arms willingly and nuzzled the body that was holding her.

"You alright?" He nuzzled her ear and she smiled. "You left quite suddenly."

"Yeah...just needed to think about things." She sighed. "What are you doing out here?" She opened her eyes and looked up at the one who was holding her. The icy blue eyes were sparkling and his smile was small, but one that she loved.

Gabriel shrugged and looked around. "I was running but I was going to go with you and I couldn't find you. A little concerning." He raised his eyebrow. "But what were you doing?"

"Stretching a ballet stretch." She pulled away from him. "My mother used to teach ballet when I was a kid..." She looked down. "Its hard to believe she is gone..."

He frowned. He had forgotten that her parents had passed away not even 2 weeks ago. But she hadn't left for home yet for a funeral or to be with the rest of her family or pack. "Do you want to leave to go home?"

She looked up and shook her head. "They told me not to. I have to stay with my mate and pack."

"But you should be with your family and former pack." He stroked her hair.

"They told me not to come. They told me if I came, they would send me back." She smiled sadly.

"That isn't fair."

"But I have you so I'm ok." She looked up at him. "As long as you will have me, I will be able to heal."

He smiled back and entwined his fingers in her hair and gently pulled her closer, bending so her forehead was touching his. "How did I ever deserve you?"

"I don't know." She giggled. She touched the fingers in her hair and closed her eyes. He bent down a little more and pressed his lips to hers. She responded by opening her mouth and allowing him to explore the cavern.

He didn't hesitate and he pressed her small body to him. She whimpered and ran her fingers through his hair and reached up on her tip toes. He smiled against her lips and picked her up flush against his body and her feet were no longer on the ground. She pulled away and looked into his eye. His were hazed over and the desire was there, but this was not the place and he knew it.

He set her down but he still bent down to give her one more kiss which lingered and before they knew it they were on the ground and clinging to eachother like they were their last anchors to earth. She rolled on her back to pull away and get air but he just followed her and release a large amount of kisses all over her face and neck. She gripped his shirt and arched against his body and that didn't help their situation at all.

She gasped when he began to bit her skin, leaving marks while lifting up her shirt. She held on to him while his fingers worked themselves under her bra and lovingly touched her there. She whimpered into his neck and her breathing increased with her heart beat. "Gabriel..."

"Wow, you go for a run and you end up doing it in the forrest huh?"

Gabriel tensed then rested his head in the crook of Adri's neck. "Esme...really? Couldn't you have just kept walking?"

"Well I'm actually looking for Adri. If you two are going to spice things up tonight, I thought I'd talk to her." Esme looked at the blushing Adri who was pinned under Gabriel's large body.

He removed his hands from Adri's body and let up off her so she could straighten herself up. But she just sat up and hugged herself and avoided looking at either of them. Gabriel frowned and looked up at Esme. "Now isn't the time. We'll be back soon."

"Preferably before you screw her sensless." She turned on her heel and walked back the way she came.

Gabriel looked down at Adri's beet red face and ran his knuckles over her cheek. "You ok?"

She smiled and nodded. "Yeah, just embrassed..." She stood up. "I better go..."

He sighed. "Yeah." He stood up as well and brushed off the dirt and leaves. "But here is not the place."

"No, defiantly not." She shook her head.

"So tonight, I'll see you?"

"Yes. Tonight."

* * *

Adri walked into Esme's room and sat on the chair that was near the vanity stand. Esme was finishing packing and putting all the nessecary clothing into her bag.

"You wanted to talk to me?" Adri smelt the purfume in the room.

Esme turned toward her and threw a shirt down on her bag. "Oh, yeah, yeah." She put the shirt in the bag and then sat on the bed. "You ready to do this?"

Adri blushed and then looked down. "Yes, I am."

"I just don't want you to get upset or freak out when it come because honey, when its done its done." She looked at Adri sternly.

"I love him. I want to do this."

Esme nodded. She sighed and looked out her window and Adri took the time to look at the beautiful woman on the bed. Vivian must of gotten all of her looks from Esme. "Has he talked to you about Vivian?"

Adri looked down and shook her head. "No, everytime I ask he gets very defensive and tells me I wouldn't want him if he told me."

"He thinks he killed her." Esme crossed her legs. "It isn't true but he thinks its his fault that Vivie died."

Adri's head snapped up and looked at Esme. "What? What do you mean? Please tell me."

She smiled sadly and looked away. "They were out, on a date and on his motorcycle. Both of them were wearing a helmet but some idiot ran a red light and went right infront of Gabriel and Gabe hit the breaks and they slid and she slid right under the car's tire. She died instantly." Esme swallowed and clasped her hands together. "And now I'm childless and a widow."

"So he thinks its his fault?"

"Yes. It was 4, almost 5 years ago and he hasn't gotten over it. I just wanted you to know so that you understood what you are getting yourself into." Esme stood. "But, you should go. I have to get ready and you need to as well. Your all dirty and you might want to at least put some mascera on tonight."

Adri blinked and then bit her lip. "I don't have any."

"I know so I bought you some and its all in a bag under you sink. Thought I did pretty well for your eye color." She said triumphantly. "Now shoo. I have to get ready."

Adri got up and walked toward the door. She stopped and looked back. "Hey Esme."

Esme turned toward her. Adri smiled and touched the door handle. "Thanks...I needed a mom moment."

Esme smiled and nodded and Adri left. "No problem baby girl."

* * *

**Ok I lied, no smut in this one because it is already to long and I don't have any ideas for their smutty moment yet . Any way, tell me what ya thought!**


	15. Mascara and Guts

**HEY! Hola mis amigos, que pasa? nada? Well thank you for the lovely reviews, they all ways make me smile :) that and what you like the most about the chapter really lets me know you are really reading it and enjoying it. **

* * *

Adri looked carefully into the mirror and looked at her self, making sure that every thing was perfect and in place. She had spent an hour on her hair, curling it carefully and then brushing it just as careful so that the curls were still in tact but looked natural. She even borrowed a nice night gown from Esme and now she was trying to put mascara on with out poking her eye out and before Gabriel would get back.

She stuck her tongue out and squinted her other eye and put the brush close to her eye, keeping her hand steady.

"What are you doing?"

She jumped and droped the brush and looked at the door to see Gabriel smiling at her amused. She flustered and looked at the brush to see that it had fallen into the sink and smudge on the surface. She picked up the brush and stuck it back into its container. "Nothing..." She set it down.

"You...look..." He blinked and looked up and down her body. Her usually girlish figure was now in a emerald satin gown with cream lace in a heart shaped neck line that just went low enough and it went about mid-thigh. Now her body looked curvy, like a woman's body. "...gorgeous."

She blushed and looked away and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Esme gave it to me...as a gift."

"It suits you." He scratched the back of his head. Damn Esme and her plot of seduction. "I'm gonna go get out of these clothes, smell like a dead animal." He turned and walked into the room.

She smiled and bit her lip. She was so nervous. But not because of what was to come, but if he really thought she looked gorgeous. But how was she going to get him into bed? She had the looks now she needed the plan.

She decided that she would act normal. He knew she wanted it and they had said tonight so she hoped that he would help her start things off. She took a deep breath before shutting off the lights and walking out of the bathroom only to come to a complete stop.

Gabriel stood with his back to her, completely naked. He said he was going to changed clothes but unless it was to change their skin, she had never seen a man like this, let alone her mate and not only her mate, but Gabriel, who looked like a god with his toned body and smooth, yet scarred skin. He was absolutly beautiful.

He must of noticed because he looked behind him to see her looking at him like she was a deer in the head lights, not know how to react to what she was seeing. He felt his animal side kick in, the instict to mate telling him that now was the time to get her.

His eyes darkened a bit and he turned more toward her and began to stalk slowly toward her direction. She just stood there, gaping innocently at him, making him want her more. She watched as his muscles rippled under his skin and he stopped only inches from her. She looked up at him.

He smiled and reached down and stroked her cheek. "Ready?"

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Yes, for a while now."

Without another word he picked her up and she clung to him. He walked over to the bed and gently set her down so she was laying directly in the middle of the bed, while he laid on her like she was porcelain. She shifted so that her legs were on either side of his body and he was pressing her into the mattress.

"Adri...I just want you to know you don't have to curl your hair and put on a night gown to get me howling at the moon for you. You just looking at me like you do does enough." He nipped at her collar bone and she tilted her head back and softly gasped. One of his hands started trailing up her thigh and up into the gown and felt the flat planes of her stomach. She bit her lip.

He pushed up the gown up to her ribs and he lowered his lips to her skin there. Her breath hitched when he did, as it felt like fire everytime his lips touched her delicate skin. His attention went to getting that gown completely off of her, leaving her almost naked under him, except her underwear, which were his favorite kind, thong. He smirked and looked at Adri. "Also from Esme?"

She blushed and covered herself, suddenly feeling embrassed. He took her hands and gripped them firmly but carefully. "Don't you ever hide yourself from me..." He kissed her lips softly and she arched into him. This was almost to much to bare.

She let her hands go to her sides and his hands went to her breast with out a seconds hesitation. The smooth mounds felt right under his finger tips and squeezed them very gently. Her hands came up and over his, not to stop them but to make him squeeze harder. He smiled against her lips and then moved to her chin, neck and then down to her left breast, latching on to it tenderly. She covered her eyes with the back of her hand and the other gripped the hand that was holding on to her's.

Sucked the bud till it was hard and almost throbbing, then he moved to the other doing the same thing and her body began to tremble. She was beginning to pant a bit.

"Should I stop?" He asked against her skin, kissing it.

"No...d-don't stop...please..." She was arching highly against him and he could tell it was almost time to get down to it. She wasn't going to wait much longer.

He smiled and went even lower, to her navel, were he looked up at her as he took a hold of her underwear. She looked back down at him with half closed eyes. Taking that as a yes, he began to slid the underwear down her thighs and to her ankles, were he completed the job and now she was completely exposed to him.

He sat up and looked down at her. She was little, but oh so beautiful. He smiled softly and then lowered his head back to her body, this time to the only place he hadn't touched on her body.

She tensed and stopped the squeel that threatened to come out, but thankfully he did not notice her reaction to the sensation of his mouth on her most sacred spot on her body, and it became even harder to be quiet when his tongue found the bud of nerves and began to tease it by circling it.

He watched her through half closed eyes, seeing her surprise and the shock of what he was doing, but he could tell she was enjoying this as much as he was and he removed his mouth from her and slid back up her body so that their hips were touching. She was breathing hard and her face was bright red but she took his arms when he shifted a bit and she could feel him at the opening. She curled her toes and readied herself for the next step they were going to take.

He smoothed her hair back and kissed her cheek and held himself up on his elbows, but slid a hand behind her head so that she was closer to him. He only had to move his hips a little bit to start sliding inside of her body.

She tensed and hissed in pain. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't pleasant either and with the size of Adri's body compared to his, this was more than she bargened for.

"You ok?" He whispered in her ear.

"It hurts, but I'll be ok...I promise." She nuzzled his shoulder.

"You sure?"

She smiled and held his tighter. "Yes, defiantly."

* * *

Gabriel laid on his back, eyes closed and his breath steady with his hand automatically stroking a back. Laying on him was Adri, who was half asleep and had her cheek on his chest, right over his heart.

The large boom in his chest soothed her and helped her forget the soreness between her legs and she could feel her heart beath with his. He took a deep breath and she rose with his body and came down with it when he exhaled, smiling as his hand came up and stroked the soft skin on the back of her neck.

"You asleep?" His body vibrated with his voice.

"No..." She shifted and looked up at him. "Were you?"

"Nope. Was thinking about what I should do for holloween this year." He opened his eyes. "Was thinking as going as a werewolf."

Adri burst out in giggles and took a deep breath. "I love you..." She whispered.

His smile faded. It warmed him everytime she said it but he didn't know if he could say it back. He wasn't sure he was ready to say it again. But he couldn't keep her hanging like that, she would only get hurt more. "Dido."

Her eyes shot open and she blinked a couple times. She wasn't expecting him to say anything back, but that made her heart flutter and she rolled off him and sat up. "Really?"

He wanted to smack himself. She was blushing bright red and looked down at him waiting for him to say really back to her, but that wasn't his intent. He told himself that he owed this girl more than she knew and that he was feeling for her but those words were sacred. But saying really back wasn't really saying them. "Really."

She bent down and kissed his cheek and he closed his eyes and inhaled their scents that were mingled on her body. He turned his head and she gave him another kiss.

"Adri...I didn't wear protection or anything. I didn't even pull out."

She shrugged and looked at him. "So? I can handle any thing that life dishes me out right now."

He frowned a little bit. "But we're possibly talking about a baby."

"I wouldn't mind a pup or two."

He sat up and looked down at her and she leaned against his chest and hugged his body. He kissed the top of her head and took a deep breath. "Fine...but I just don't want to push you."

"I'm your mate. I've already thought about all the possiblities and I'm ready for whatever you want to do." She said against his chest.

He smiled and held her to him. "You are one gusty girl baby."

* * *

** I think we should vote, who wants Adri to have a baby in this story and who doesn't. Vote and next chapter I will post the tally.**


	16. Not So Happy Surprises

** By the way I just want ya'll to know that I am from Montana, and Billings is our biggest city and has a one story mall...its from Red Lodge to Billings thats about an hour drive, depending how fast you drive :) But that is what I am talking about.**

* * *

Weeks dragged on and on and the summer work continued, along with the high amount of stress and sex phermones, and Adri was wondering if she could handle both any more.

Even a month passed and thework dropped but the stess didn't go down. Esme wanted Tomas to come home, Reneta her mate, and Regina just wanted the horny Five to come back a pester her. They were grown, sexually frustrated women and the anger was thrown at Adri who was the only one who had her mate with her.

Gabriel had decided to move himself and Adri into one of the cabins that was rarely used because it was behind the inn, not very close to the kitchen quarters but they could cook out there. Not only that but Adri could have a sanctuary to go to at the end of the day and actually call it her home.

Even more weeks and then the end of August, the tourist, skiers, and pack members all came back and Adri had never felt so better. Plus Gabriel was back as well so they saw eachother more often and the pack called off the trial mating and welcomed Adri a little more. The Five even gave her the nick name of Midge, short for midget since compared to the rest of the pack, she was small.

And the time increase with Gabriel just led to more exploring of eachothers body, often.

Tonight though, was different. It was the day before Adri's birthday and everyone wanted to give her a surprise party, except Gabriel who had plans of his own 'celebration'. The Five were already hanging up things and bringing in presents they went all the way to Billings for. Even Aunt Persia and Orelando were dressed in their finer clothes for the occasion.

Esme had Adri upstairs, 'trying on clothes that Esme bought but doesn't like', more like putting on the clothes that Esme bought for Adri because Esme believe Adri had no style.

Gabriel hated surprise parties. They were just lame unless it was for a 5 year old kid. But it was for his mate and she was being accepted into the pack that 2 months ago questioned their relationship or her ability to be an alpha. His present though, was a total secret, not even Esme knew.

He just had to know if this was it or if the moon was tricking him. Not only that but his time with Adri made him realize that he did in fact love this girl, but not like he loved Vivian, but regardless he wanted to make sure she was _his. _

Most of the pack was there, Reneta, Magda, Rolf and Raul, Bucky, and Rudy was on his visit and wanted to meet Gabriel's new mate so he came up for the 2nd time this year; he only usually visited once a year.

"Nice set up here. All...pink." Rudy motioned to the decorations that the Five put up. He stood by Gabriel and took a swig of his beer.

"She doesn't even like pink..." Gabriel shook his head. "Its a shame but I'll think she over look it."

"What is she like? This new mate of yours?" Rudy leaned against the wall. He had aged more gracefully in the past 5 years.

Gabriel took Rudy's beer, ignoring the old man protest and took a swig. "Little, little, little. Comes up to here on me." He laid his hand horizantally below his chest. "About 5', dark hair, big green eyes. Gorgeous."

Rudy chuckled. "Bet she'd bare some cute pups for you. You being tall and handsome and she being small and 'gorgeous'. But I wonder if she could carry."

Gabriel frowned and looked at Rudy. "Whadda mean?" He handed Rudy his beer back.

"Well Gabriel, your huge, and if she's little, who knows? You could either being having little babies or she might have to consider an emergency c-section. Depends how little she is."

Gabriel had never thought of that. Adri may be to small to carry his pups. His family was known for large babies and his mother had had 4 of them, 3 being triplets, but his mother was a tall and sturdy woman, as Adri was small and frail. The thought drained him and he looked at Rudy who was frowning.

"Alright there buddy? You looked like you saw a ghost." He grabbed a beer for Gabriel from the ice bucket next to him.

Gabriel took it and shook his head. "Nothing, I was just thinking."

"Ah, that must have been painful." Rudy chuckled. "Sure looked like it."

Gabriel elbowed the other man and Rudy tried not to spit his beer everywere.

Esme came down the stairs with a blind folded Adri who was wailing her arms everywere and trying not to trip and her brows furrowed together. Esme lead her over to a chair were most of the pack surrounded and Gabriel walked a little closer.

As soon as the blind fold was untied, every one yelled surprise and Adir jumped and covered her ears in surprise. She then smiled and blushed bright red and bent her head down to hide her blush.

Esme giggled and rubbed the girl's shoulder and said something in her ear that made Adri's smile even bigger.

"Alright, now that we've scared the shit out of her, buffet is open, grab a beer and socialize!" Esme called out to the crowd, who more than happily helped themselves to the food and alcohol.

Gabriel chuckled and approached Adri, holding out his hand to her. "Happy birthday baby."

She smiled and took his hand and he pulled her to him and held her in his arms. She held him back and nuzzled his chest.

"Wow, don't crush the baby."

Gabriel pulled away and looked to see Rudy standing there smiling ear to ear. "I'm guessing this pretty little thing is your mate?"

Gabriel nodded and ran a loving hand over her shoulder blades. "Yes this is Adri, Adri this is Esme's brother, Rudy."

Adri smiled and extended her hand and shook his. "Hello."

Rudy took her hand and shook it. "You weren't kidding when you said she was little little."

The words irked Gabriel a little bit, but he didn't show his irritation. "Yes she is."

Adri turned bright red and tucked her hair behind her ear. "Um...runs in my family. My brother surprisingly was 5'7" and he was the tallest in our family."

Rudy chuckled. "Uh, unusual for loup garou."

She shrugged and smiled up at Gabriel who was frowning at his beer. "Yeah."

Noticing the tension Rudy pursed his lips and then looked at Adri. "Well, happy birthday, sweet heart, I'll see you around." He walked toward Esme and her mate Tomas.

She smiled and waved as he left then she turned to Gabriel. "Are you ok?"

"Oh, yeah, its just been a long day." He took her hand. "Hungry?" He motioned to the buffet.

She playfully scrunched her nose. "Actually no...but-"

"Midgy!" Finn picked her up and twirled her. "Happy fucking birthday!"

She squeeled and tucked her legs so she didn't hit any one. "FIN! Put me down!" She squirmed. "To high!"

Gabriel glared at Finn a little bit and Finn set her down. Adri regained her balance only to be hugged by Ulf. She returned the hug and giggled. "You missed me?"

"Yes, the whole day, had no one to make fun of, and I became a target again." He pouted playfully.

She hugged him again. "Poor bebe."

"I know..."

Gabriel felt like he had been pushed in the back, but then again she was with her friends. She was finally happy and she was surrounded by people who were her friends, something she didn't have before. He gave a small smile before he was being jabbed by a bony finger.

"Gabriel! Adri is going to open presents soon! Were is yours so I can give it to her last for dramatic romance?" Esme asked him.

He looked down at her and shook his head. "I'll give it to her myself."

"What is it?" She raised a brow. "What are you up to?" She smirked ear to ear.

"Nothing I can tell you about." He eyed her and took a large gulp of his beer. "But I need more alcohol before we even bust out the cake."

Esme frowned and then took Gabriel to the side. "Honey, are you ok? You don't get drunk unless your upset or bothered about something." She crossed her arms. "Is it the party? Are you thinking about Vivie?"

"Always, but thats not whats got me on edge." He took another gulp. "Rudy just made a very valid point that I was being careless about." He looked out to the crowd and saw his mate laughing at something Williem had said to his twin.

"What?" Esme leaned closer.

He clenched his jaw. "Look at the size of Adri and then look at me."

She looked and then looked him up and down and then looked at Adri again. "Well she is small, but why as that you upset?" She raised an eyebrow at him. "Not like you to be upset over that."

"I'm not. But what if she can't have my pups." He said in a low voice.

Esme studied Adri one more time and then caught on to what Gabriel was saying. "Oh...Gabe, I don't know. Thats not a question for me."

"No, but I don't want her to get pregnant and lose the baby because her body is not physically able to carry my baby. That would be unnessecary and painful for both of us." He turned a bit, showing more of his back to the crowd.

"Gabriel, it'll be ok. I'm sure that she can have one or two of your babies. Hell the kids could be normal sized for all we know." She tried to reassure him.

"My family is known for huge babies. I've always been big, my dad was big, even my grandpa who was hunched over was still tall and broad and I don't want to hurt her with that."

"Her family is known for being small. This is something you and her need to talk about and then you need to take her to Aunt Persia for an exam before you have any more sex." Esme looked out toward the crowd. "Listen, that is something to worry about, but you need to at least act like everything is ok, cause its her 18th birthday and she's been wanting to see you all day. Ok? It'll be ok." She moved back into the room to talk with the other pack women.

He looked out among his pack. All happy, talking, laughing. This hadn't happened since before Vivian's death, at their anniversy party. Now he had to present this present to Adri infront of them and not only that, but then make it short lived as he had to talk to her about this as soon as possible. So much was on his mind he didn't notice the lips on his collar bone.

"Gabriel?"

He looked down to see Adri looking up at him with those gorgeous green orbs that were filled to the brim with adoration for him. He smiled down at her. "Sorry baby, lots to think abou today."

She went down off her tip toes and smiled. "Its ok. I just wanted to be with you for a bit before some one else carries me off."She gave a side ways glance at Esme hovering near.

He chuckled and then drew her closer to have her rest against him. "I'll protect you from those evil hounds."

She snuggled into him and he wrapped his arm around her. She looked up at him. "After gifts I have to talk to you about something important."

"I do too." He frowned a little bit. "And its going to be a buzz kill so enjoy the party while you can." He lead them back into the crowd.

* * *

"Mine next!" Ulf pushed threw the people surrounding Adri's table were she opened gifts. He set the large carefully wrapped box infront of her and then stepped back to everyone could see.

She stood up and looked it over before discovering that the top of the box just came off. She took it off and peered inside before turning red. She reached into the box and pulled out a very lacey thong that would not cover any of Adri. A couple of whistles and suggustions went around. A couple of the men chuckled at Gabriel and nudged him with their elbows calling him a lucky dog.

But then she pulled out a while lot more and then just decided to over turn the box and spill out its contents. Revealing all kinds of sexy and cute underwear. The Five exchanged laughs and high fives. It was their signiture gifts to their female friend.

"Thank you...for all the-um-gifts." She picked through them, not knowing if they were all bought or possibly handy downs.

"Ok, well all thats left is Gabriel." Esme looked at him.

The pack looked at him and Adri looked his way over the mountain of underwear. He removed one of hands from his pocket and reached into his back pocket and approached the table slowly. All eyes were on him and most of them were wide as they waited their guesses to come true or not come true.

He stopped infront of the table and took a velvet box out of his back pocket and then opened it and set in open infront of her. Her eyes widened and she looked down at the box. A couple of pack members gasped. It was a silver ring that had a half moon of small diamonds and inset in the middle was a little pearl that was a pure as they came.

"This isn't an engagment ring, but this ring was passed down in my family as a commiment or promise ring and you can only give it to one person. Your the only one I have given this to." He stepped around the table to come stand by her side and she stared down into the box. He leaned down and whispered in her ear. "Vivian didn't get this ring from me."

She looked at him and studied his face. The whole pack was quiet and they waited for her reaction. Gabriel began to fear that she might be frightened by this gift but when she finally took it out of the box and she looked at him. "I want you to put it on."

He smiled and gently took the ring from her and kneeled down. He took her left hand and slipped on the ring and was surprised to find it fit perfectly. She teared up and then flung herself in his arms.

"I love you." She whispered.

The pack began to clap and shout and cheer. It was what they needed to see. They now had a leader and his female beside him.

He closed his eyes and held her to him. "I love you too."

* * *

After the party everyone dispersed and went their own way. Adri and Gabriel left early to walk to their cabin slowly, hand in hand, and in tranquil silence.

Gabriel didn't want to upset her tonight, he didn't want her happyness to end. She had happily cried the whole party and all the women came up and wanted to see the ring. It wasn't an engagment ring, but it was a sign that he was commited to her and this relationship. It was more of a wedding ring of sorts.

She stopped slowly and he stopped and turned toward her. She was looking at the ground with a blank stare, and then she looked at him. He stepped closer to her and looked down at her, sticking his hands in his pockets.

She gave him a small smile. "You said we needed to talk but you've quiet since we left."

He sighed. "I don't know if I want to tell you. Might ruin your night."

She shook her head. "No, nothing could ruin this night. Nothing I can't handle."

He looked down at her. That beautiful face that was looking up at him with that loving look...He took a deep breath. "I don't think we can have kids, Adri."

She blinked then frowned slightly, not understanding. "Why?"

He looked away. "Rudy pointed out tonight that my family has very large babies and you are very small. You may not be able to carry my pups and I don't want to try and then lose one or you because it wasn't meant to be."

"Gabriel..." She looked like she was confused, no hurt. It was hurt. "So you don't want to have kids?"

"Not till I know that your capable." He shook his head.

She looked at the ground and then walked past him down the trail toward the cabin. He turned and followed her. He grabbed her arm gently and pulled her closer "Adri, stop, I didn't mean to upset you I jus-"

"I'm pregnant." She blurted out.

He froze. Pregnant? "What?"

"I found out two days ago..." She teared up. "I'm 5 weeks pregnant." The tears began to flow.

He let go of her arm. Everything he just said was probably like a bullet to her heart. That was what she wanted to tell him all day, why she wanted to be with him and even the tears at the party when he gave her the ring...it all made since.

"Baby, I-moon-I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to say there was no way we were going to have kids." He pulled her closer to him. "Adri...don't cry."

She began to shake and shiver. "I'm scared now. I'm really scared." She began to sob.

That made him feel like a doushe bag. The poor thing must had been excited and happy about it and now he had troubled her with this and now she was afraid of having this baby now.

He pulled her to his chest and rocked her, kissing away her tears. "We're gonna make it, ok? I'll take care of you and our baby...it'll be ok."

He prayed to the moon that he could keep his promise.

* * *

**Okie dokie! Well the vote was in favor of the baby, so there will be one, but not with out drama! Tee hee. R&R.**


	17. Shut Up

**Hola! So I love the reviews guys! My goal is to get 40 by next chapter. And there will be a baby! Yay! So lets vote again, this time for gender and names! I have some picked out but I would like to know what you would like!**

**Chao!**

* * *

Gabriel couldn't sleep that night. Adri laid next to him, asleep and on her back, clutching the hand that laid limp on her lower abdomen. The only way to get her to sleep was to gently rub her skin with his finger tips and now it laid there, like it was protecting the life under it. And in some way it was.

Father. He was going to be a father. And it put him in awe that it was happening, when 6 months ago, he wouldn't have even thought it, but now he had a beautiful mate that was carrying his pup. The thought should have made him happy but the concern that was haunting him was now coming true and now the words of Rudy were ringing in his ear. It was like the moon was mocking him.

First it was his human, then Vivian, and now Adri's life was in danger, and it was more than he could bare. If Adri passed on, Gabriel would light himself on fire and enjoy the pain while the flames took him, as morbid as a thought as it was, but the idea of him burning alive seemed less painful than losing this precious girl and the life that they had created.

He rolled toward her body and laid his ear on the place were his hand was and took a deep breath. _Small...small...death...pup...my baby...not compatable in size, what the hell am I going to do? _He would never ask Adri to remove his child from her, that would be disgraceful and harsh, not only that he would never forgive himself.

"I didn't think you were still awake." Her small voice croaked and her legs shifted from under his body.

He looked up to see Adri's arm draped over her eyes and her mouth gaped open. "I can't sleep, and I think you can't either."

She shook her head and let her arm drop, revealing blood shot eyes and tears coming from them. "I was so happy..."

"Adri I didn't mean to hurt you." He slid up her body and kissed her cheek. "I am so sorry."

"I know, but you made a very good point. What if I can't have your pups? Its not fair..." She teared up again and Gabriel gathered her in his arms and nuzzled her ear.

"Then we won't have any, as long as I am with you it'll be ok." He pulled away from her. "We will be ok, I promise."

She sadly smiled and hugged him. "I really love you...more than you know."

"And I can say the same. I've grown on you alot." He murmured against her skin, inhaling her sweet scent. "Are you feeling well enough for a run?"

"No...I feel extremely groggy and nausous, even though I won't puke." She sighed. "Though a run would be nice..."

"If you are not feeling good, then no. No run." He kissed the tip of her nose. "Adri..."

"Hm?" She rested her head against him.

"I should tell you about Vivian now, since I have completely handed my life to you." He rolled off of her and sighed.

Her eyes shot open and she looked at him. "Wha-?"

"Yeah. I'm going to tell you." He ran a hand threw his hair. She watched him. She knew, but it was different when it was coming from him.

"I was taking Vivian to Aunt Persia for a check up, because she was pregnant. She wanted to ride the bike one last time and kept insisting that she would be fine and she trusted me with her life." He smiled sadly. "I took her on the bike, and I will never forgive myself for that mistake. Never." His hands began to bawl into fists. "We were at a red light and I took off, with out looking and some asshole decided red meant go, and ran right infront of me and I had no time to stop..." He took a shaky breath. "I did hit the breaks and we slid right under the car, and Vivian was killed and I was left with 3 broken ribs and some bruises. I didn't get under the car, as I flew off as soon as the bike hit the ground. She trusted me..." He choked and looked away.

Adri felt her heart break. He was crying like a child, but he lost the love of his life and she was gone forever and now he had her. A half pint of a girl that was easy to break and bend. She kissed his cheek and scooted closer to him and pulled his head toward her chest. "That doesn't mean it was your fault. How can you blame yourself for something you didn't do?"

He bit out a sour chuckle. "Because trusted me and I was useless. I couldn't protect the two lives I was in charge of. And she wasn't the last girl I killed nor the first. I had a meat-girl once and I hit her...and killed her. And I loved her, and now I could lose you. Gods torture me and I think they want me to die a lonely death."

Adri gasped and looked down at him. "Gabriel! No! Never say that! I won't die!" She could feel her reserve she had up fall apart.

"I've lost every woman I have ever loved...why would you be any different?" He looked up at her with sad blue eyes.

Her lip trembled and her mouth betrayed her and let out a sob. "I can't believe that you would think that."

"Have I any reason not too?"

She pushed him away and sat up and sat on the side of the bed holding herself. It felt like her being with him wasn't enough and all he could think about was how he was killing her. If she was dying, then she would want to live her last days to the fullest with him, but he wouldn't see it like that. The thoughts killed her and she stood up and walked out of the room and into the kitchenette.

"Adri?" Gabriel pushed off the blankets and left the warmth of the bed and followed her. "Adri, baby-"

"How could you say that!" She turned on him. "It feels like I can't ever make you happy! And even if I was dying, I would be happy that at least I had spent my last year with you! And giving my life to our baby!"

He stepped back. He had never seen her like this. He had pushed her to the edge. "Adri-"

"Shut up!" She hit the counter. "I love you. I genually love you! And your the only man I have ever loved or will ever love. The past months...all I hear is that you killed her, _you _killed her. You didn't and you let it haunt you and everything you do, even with me and the happy times we spend together, I see it." She let the tears fall freely. "You don't see me. You see her, and her dying. Me dying. You just see death and you never even stop to think about life, my life, your life, the life that the baby will live. If I die, I die. But I will die happy."

He felt his heart shatter. He had underestimated her, by a lot. She could only see him feeling the pain and loss, not the love and gain that he had earned with her.

"I'm going to go see Esme..." She whimpered.

"Oh no, baby, I'm sorry, please stay." He gently took her arm. "I know you are upset, but-"

"I need to be away for a bit...I want..." She began to cry harder. "I want my mom." She yanked out of his grip and ran out of the house and into the inn, leaving Gabriel standing there, shattered and heart broken.

* * *

Esme was more than surprised when Adri had come banging on her door so late at night, face stained with tears and not being able to talk straight. Now the girl was wrapped tightly in her arms, in her bed, like she was her own daughter. She lovingly stroked the dark thick hair that was Adri's and listened to the girl's silent cries.

She sighed and looked down at her. "Adri, why in the hell are you so upset." She whispered, trying not to wake Tomas on the other side of bed.

"I-I..." She sniffled. "I had a surprise for Gabriel, and he was to worried about death to be happy about it..." She wiped her eyes dry. "And it wasn't supposed to be like that at all." Adri whispered back.

Esme propped herself up on one elbow. "What was the surprise?" She kept her eyes on the girl. She was a beautiful little thing and it was a shame that her face was red with tears.

Adri sniffed and curled up tighter. "I'm pregnant..." Her lip quivered and more tears came.

"Oh, honey, that is a good thing. Why are you upset over that?"

"I'm not, he is. He thinks I'm going to die. And I was so happy..." She began to cry again.

"You're kidding...You're not going to die, but the pregnancy may be hard." Esme stroked her hair. "Maybe after a visit with Persia it will fade. He's just paranoid."

Adri closed her eyes. "I feel like I will never be good enough for him...I will never be Vivian..."

Esme was shocked by her last comment. "No, no, you will never be Vivian, but you shouldn't try to be taking her place."

"I'm not. I just want him to be happy and smile and mean it." She sat up. "I want him to stop trying to compare me to her, to stop thinking about my death and just think about our life together."

Esme knew she was right. But she had also been with Gabriel since Vivian's death, seen the pain and suffering he went through; the pain she went through at losing her only daughter and child she had had with her love, Ivan. Adri didn't know that pain, but she didn't have to suffer from it either. It was a double edged sword.

"Adri, I know you've put up with a lot since mating with him, but baby, he is a very heart broken man, and he loves you, I know it, but I know what he is going through."

Adri looked up at Esme. "You do?"

"I lost Vivian's father in a fire 7 years ago...he was the love of my life. But I have Tomas here, and he makes me so happy and he has helped me move on with my life and if it wasn't for him, I would have never made it through Vivian's death. Gabriel didn't have any one. Not even me..." She sighed. "He doesn't know what to do because he is so afraid of losing you. Every woman he has ever loved, has died."

Adri closed her eyes. She knew that. She did. But she felt like she had to carry on in Vivian's foot steps or it would never be right. "I know..."

"But that is terrible that your news was taken negitivly." She sighed. "How long?"

"5 weeks...going on 6." She breathed, feeling more calmed.

"Thats is so wonderful. I'm glad. It will be a beautiful baby I am sure. Gabriel being a very handsom man and you being so damn gorgeous."

Adri smiled. "He is beautiful isn't he?"

Esme laid back down and smiled. "Very. I think you should go back to him tonight...he needs you as much as you need him."

Adri sniffled and sighed. "No, I can't. I need to be away from him tonight." She rolled over toward the edge of the bed.

"Oliva Adriana, you go back to your mate right now and make love to him till he dies of sexual exhaustion." Esme whispered harshly.

Adri looked at her at the sound of her real name being used. Esme was the one who looked over her application so of course she would know her full name, but it still took her by surprise.

"Get or I will beat you." Esme whispered again.

Adri sighed slowly and headed toward the door. She was going to face it some time, and Esme was right. It should be now.

* * *

The morning was quiet. Gabriel laid there in silence with Adri, seperated by a good foot apart, back facing back. She couldn't sleep any more and the silence was killing her, but she was so nervous to say any thing to him.

He finally got up and kissed her temple and walked out into the living room, leaving her alone in that room. She buried her face in the pillow. Today she needed to reassure him that she would be fine and that she would not die because of their size problems.

She got up and looked at her feet. _I will live, and you will smile because I love you._


	18. Reassurance and The Devil

**AYE! Well I cannot tell you what I have decided for the baby as in gender and name, that would be a buzz kill :p and any way, I want to start posting new reviews so you can see what is going on and those sorts. **

**Any way thank you for the reviews I did recieve! Tell me what you would like to see or what changes I might need to make.**

**Chao!**

* * *

Adri scrunched her nose in discomfort as Aunt Persia ran her experianced hands over Adri's exposed abdomen, pressing lightly every now and then. Gabriel was by her side and watching with dull eyes. He was tired and still upset with Adri over her leaving him in the middle of the night, but he had over looked it enough to come with Adri to her visit to Persia.

"Hmmm..." Persia narrowed her elderly eyes and touched Adri's tiny bump with her hands again. It was barely visible to any normal eye, but Gabriel could see the slight incline of Adri's stomach, where his pup was growing in side of her.

Adri felt her heart flutter when Persia hummed. It made her nervous and she saw Gabriel shift uncomforably every time. She closed her eyes and counted to keep her calm.

"She is very capable." The old woman's hands left Adri's body. "The child will probably be large, but Adri will be able to birth it." The breath that Adri had been holding let lose and Gabriel's face softened a little bit. Persia let Adri sit up. "But the pregnancy will be hard and you will have to see me frequently. You might spend the last weeks or month in bed."

Adri frowned slightly. "Why?"

"The child is already a good size. At almost 6 weeks and the slight bump you already have, the child, I predict, but maybe wrong, will be large in size. For both of you and your pup's safty, I would advise spending the last month of your pregnancy in bed, or down."

Adri felt her heart deflate. Though Persia said that neither mother nor pup's life was on the line, it wasn't enough to convince Gabriel that she was strong enough to carry this baby. "Thank you..."

"Come back in 3 weeks, I will have a sonogram machine here in time and we will look at the lovely little thing." Persia patted Adri's leg and then left the cabin.

Adri didn't look at Gabriel. She just stayed silent and kept her eyes on the floor. He was going to chaste her, she knew it.

"That went well."

She snapped her eyes to him and blinked. He continued. "But you should take that advise seriously when the time comes."

She looked down at the floor again and stood up and walked out into the kitchen to finish what she had started before Persia's arrival. She went to the sink and turned on the water and watched it slide over her hands.

Two large hands gently gripped her shoulders and she could feel the heat of her mate behind her and his breath tickling her ear. "Please don't do this to me. I am sorry, but I was worried."

She shut the water off and let her hands rest in the sink and sighed. "I know. I should be sorry too, for the reaction."

"The hormones. I dare you to blame it on the hormones." He murmered and the velvet of his voice made her shiver and her nipples hardened against her bra.

She smiled. "It was the hormones."

He nuzzled her neck and growled. "I knew it."

She gripped the edge of the sink and her breath hitched as she shivered against his body. "Gabe-" It came out high. "I can't..."

He rested his head against the crook of her neck. "I know..." He stepped back and sighed. "Sorry."

She turned and looked at him. "I want to...I know its been at least a week and a half."

He shook his head. "We can, but, uh, I can't be gentle enough with you."

"I'm not as fragile as you think I am." She pouted slightly.

"No, you're not, but the baby is." He looked down at her stomach. It still seemed unreal to me. "When should we tell the rest of the pack."

"Well...um..." She blushed. "You're the last one I told..."

He frowned. "Now way."

"Yeah...it was supposed to be a suprise...for you." Her blush brightened,

He raised an eyebrow and sighed. "You brat." He pulled her to him and chuckled. "I should punish you."

She laid her head on his chest. "When will you let me meet your family...your mama, and those sisters I hear over the phone when they call."

"The triplets..." He groaned. "I don't know." He sighed again. "My family and I haven't been on great terms for about 5 years now."

She bit her lip. "Then invite them up here or we'll go down there and talk to them. I mean really Gabriel, just let me meet them."

He looked down at her raised one brow. "And when will I meet your brother?"

Her brows furrowed together with worry. "I don't want you to meet him. He's a bad person."

Gabriel was suprised. By the way she had talked before he would have never of guessed that she thought her brother was a bad person. He frowned and licked his bottom lip, noticing the scab from his fangs the night before, when his anger got the best of him and he bit himself. "Why?"

She looked away and fidgeted with her hair, which was losely braided off the side of her head. "He...he is the new alpha and my cousin called and told me that...he killed his mate because she didn't clean the house for a week."

Gabriel's eyes widened and then he frowned deeply. "That is ridiculous."

"My father was the same. Why do you think the house and the rooms in the inn are always so clean? Its because I'm afraid..." She whispered. "Not of you of course, but what if my brother came and saw? He would deem me unworthly as a woman and try to kill me."

"Not on my territory he will not." Gabriel's mood turned dark and his voice rumbled in his chest like a feral growl. "If he lays on finger on you or the baby he will be the one unworthy of life."

Adri's eyes widened and she clutched her hands together. Two alpha males fighting over a female, related or not, was a terrifying thing and always resulted with death. She grabbed his shirt and clutched tightly. "No! Don't fight with my brother. He may be bad, but he is still my brother and you are the most important man in my life, and I believe in you, but I don't want you getting hurt."

His dark mood didn't wave but he smirked down at her. "I have enough muscle to get him and any one else who would dare lay a harmful finger on you, especially for not cleaning a house for a week, what a fucker..." He scoffed.

"Watch it...the baby can hear you." Adri frowned and put her hands over her abdomen. Gabriel could not help it. He burst out in loud laughter. She blinked. "What?"

"Y-you hahaha you think the baby can hear me?" He caught his breath. "Adri baby..."

"It can. Babies can hear from the womb, even though it doesn't understand it, it can still hear and I don't want my baby to come out saying fu-I mean the f word."

At her refusal of saying fuck, Gabriel laughed harder. She was so damn cute it hurt. "Ah...yes sorry your right, but I think that is more down the road."

She glared at him and sighed. "No more cussing...I had to yell at Finn the other day cause he called me a cock sucking thunder cunt." She said the last part quietly.

Gabriel shook his head and chuckled. "Oh yeah, did you tell him that he looked like a fish?"

"No I said that he needed to bath because he smelled like a rotten fish." She shrugged. "But with better choice of words." She tossed her braid behind her shoulder and huffed.

He smiled softly and chuckled. "Sometimes you suprise me, you know that?"

She looked up at him with sparkling eyes and smiled sweetly. "You like it."

* * *

The presence out side of the inn was still undetected, suprisingly. It was stocky and dark and the ears on its skull were flat, teeth sharp and it flanks were stiff and rippled with every movement, and the claws dug deep into the soil, crunching with force. He could smell her. He knew she was here. This is where she has been hiding from him for a year.

_Come out, come out, where ever you are, little Adri..._


	19. Nightmares and Men

**Hola, so last chapter looked a bit iffy, so I'm going to try harder on this one, but sometimes I run out of ideas and need to have an unnesscary chapter to get things going.**

**Any way, REVIEW! REVIEW!**

**Chao!**

* * *

_She could feel the breeze on her bare skin, she could hear the grass move and the wind threw the trees. She could feel the pain, the feeling of her heart breaking, as the house behind her was engulfed in flames. The heat seered her back and she stood there silent and felt the hot tears fall downas the other sounds came crashing into her ears. The screams, the the yelling, the crackling of fire, curses. _

_She turned toward the fire and saw that what was on fire, was her home. The cabin was in gulfed in the flames and her pack was surrounding it, yelling, screaming. She didn't see one. Gabriel. She ran toward the house, but a hand stopped her and she looked back, trying to yank her arm away. She looked at the face of the person who was holding her back and her breath caught in her throat. The eyes were hers, the hair, dark. But the man was cold looking and his grip not gentle or caring, but just restricting. Her brother's eyes hold no care._

_She screamed as he began to tear her apart._

Adri shot up screaming from her sleep, scaring the man next to her and jerking him awake and half shifting to protect his mate next to him. She sobbed and when he saw there were no threats, he turned toward her and pulled her into his arms. It had been a routine for the past 2 months, and he knew what the dream was about. The cabin on fire, him inside, with the baby, and her brother holding her back and then began to destroy her body.

She held on to him tight. She was shaking so bad and her abdomen was cramping, like it did every time she woke up after those dreams. She put her hand on the now larger bump, afraid to remove it and leave her baby unprotected. Being four months pregnant was taking a toll on her hormones. Luckily, Gabriel's mother, since she arrived, Esme, and the other pack women were helping her as much as they could. But the effects of the hormones intesified the dreams and her emotional reaction to them.

"Adri, Adri, shhh, its just a dream, its ok. Your fine." Gabriel kissed her temple. "I'm here." He put his hand over her's on her abdomen. "She is still here."

"She is ok..." Adri whispered to her self and took deep breaths. Her daughter was still growing inside of her. She was ok...he was ok...Everything was ok. She had decided it was certain that their baby was a girl, since Gabriel said he would have that luck of being blessed with one instead of a son.

She leaned against him and calmed. "I'm sorry."

"You can't control it." He yawned. "I just want to know what the fuck is causing these dreams." He fell back on the bed.

She stared forward for a moment and swallowed. She wanted to change, she didn't have to run, but the change, she wanted. She slowly let her self out of the tangle of sheets and the sweet that covered her forehead ran in small droplets down her face and dropped onto her breasts, making cold trails down her neck. She shivered and fought the feeling of bile rising in her throat.

"Adri."

She looked back to see the blue eyes of her mate looking at her with concern. He shifted closer to her and then sat next to her. "You in pain?" She shook her head and sighed. He responded: "These dreams you have scare the hell out of me. You always look like you were in some type of pain."

She shook her head again and touched her finger tips together. "I just feel like the moon wants me to know some thing or let me know that there is trouble a head."

He looked at her. "I hope not. Your dreams involve myself and our baby dying."

"See thats the thing, I don't know if you die or not. I'm just standing there, watching this home burn and I can't find you. You are never there, but that doesn't mean your safe either." She felt a small cramp go through her. "I wanted to change but now she is telling me no. Stubborn thing she is."

"She's my girl." He smiled and then slowly took Adri's hand in his. "Sleep...please. No more night mares."

"Easy for you to say." She felt her fur grow on her chest and arms, her teeth lengthening. "Persia was right. Everything becomes strange when you get pregnant."

"I'm starting to believe it has nothing to do with being pregnant." Gabriel mumbled tiredly. She turned and landed a punch in his abdomen. He coughed and chuckled. "Go to sleep."

* * *

Adri had been forbidden to go into the cabin the next day, and she was awakened rudely when she found Gabriel's hand in his favorite place. She almost kicked him in the face after she screamed and wiggled away in fear. After that his punishment was even embrassing to think about.

"Adri, love, your about to fall over, you look like you have no balance." Gabriel's mother whispered next to her. Despite being tall and big boned, she had a very soft voice and kind eyes, which she thought Gabriel might have gotten from her. The triplets were off helping their 'busy' brother in the cabin while his mother, Ana Bella, kept her occupied in the inn by helping collect bed sheets and towels from the rooms.

Adri wadded up a sheet. "May I ask you something?" She looked at older woman. When Ana Bella nodded she proceeded: "What was Gabriel's father like?"

Ana Bella frowned and Adri felt like she had crossed the line but when Ana Bella spoke she relaxed. "Very, very handsom. Still is."

Adri put the wadded up sheet in the cart. "He's still alive? Gabriel never talks about him."

Ana Bella laughed lightly and escorted Adri out of the room and on to the next. "No, I suspect not." She pushed the cart inside of the empty room and started to pull the sheets off, exposing the large amount of candy wrappers in the sheets. She left them. The house keepers behind them would get them.

"Why? If I might be so bold." Adri sat on the bed.

Ana Bella sighed and looked at Adri. She looked down at the sheet and gingerly placed it in the cart. "Gabriel and his father are to much a like and it bothers Gabriel because his father used to be a dead beat. He came around when Gabriel was in middle school."

Adri felt her heart drop. Dead beat? "He feels like he is going to end up like him?"

"In a sense, but I don't see it. Gabriel just used to have his head in his ass. Still does at times." She let her shoulders drop. "He was one nasty kid, I tell ya. But...when he got out on his own he realized what he had and then with his run in with that human girl, he came back a completely different person." She smiled fondly. "Some times when your baby falls, you have to let them pick them selves up on their own." She stripped the bedding from the oppisite bed that Adri sat on.

Adri could feel a chill in her. What if that person came back? She watched her new 'mother' continue to work around the room.

"I know what your thinking and don't be stupid. He is almost thirty, those years are behind them and he would never do that to you. He cares about you alot." She leaned against the cart. "Though he did tell me you are a bit of a brown noser."

Adri blushed and huffed. What a pig headed jerk. "No, I just don't like secrets being hidden from me."

Ana Bella laughed. "Adri, your a kick some times. He also told me that you recently lost your parents about 7 months ago?"

"Sounds about right." Had it really been that long?

Ana Bella sighed. "How have you been doing?"

Adri looked down at her hands and sighed. "I miss my mommy, all the time and its strange because it doesn't feel like she's dead. But I have Esme, Reneta, Regina, Sybril, Megneta, You, and Persia treats me like a grand-daughter."

Ana Bella sat next to Adri. "The girls and I aren't here for long. Esme though, she can be one dumb broad but trust me, she is one hell of a woman sometimes."

Adri smiled. Dumb broad was just the tip of the ice burg.

"Ok, Gabe said you needed to be back by 6 and its 4 now so lets get this floor done and you back to the cabin or he'll bitch at me that is was all my fault."

* * *

**Sorry it wasn't very long but it was time to get a chapter up. I'm moving out on my own soon and so internet might be limited, but I'll still write. **


	20. New Beginings

**I'm back! Sorry guys its been one hell of a few months! So I love reviews, so lets lay them on me like candy to babies! Jk, you don't need to but reviews are nice though.**

**So I want to know what you think will be better, a boy or a girl, and names names names, plz. I had a name but then I realized it doesn't fit in with the rest of the pack.**

**Chao!**

* * *

Adri peeked into her home, hearing whispers and every now and then giggles of the girls. She smiled at seeing Gabriel giving one of his sisters a piggy back ride across the living room. He stopped and turned fast causing a squeal of delight from the girl. Adri smiled. He would make a great father.

"Adri! Gabriel! Adri is here!" The youngest triplet yelled at the top of her lungs. Adri believed her name was Gilgie.

Gabriel turned quickly again toward the toward, making the girl on his back squeal again. "Its 5:30. Your early."

Adri smiled and opened the door all the way. The smell of paint was strong and so was the smell of newly cut wood and stain. She sneezed and covered her nose. "What were you doing?" She sneezed again.

Gabriel smirked wide. "Well, that's for us to know and you to find out." He set the sister down. "Gilgie, Mariana, Elisa," He pointed to each girl as he said their name. She wish she had a piece of paper to remember. "and I have been hard at work at your gift." He huffed proudly. His sisters brought out his more childish side sometimes.

"Oh?" Adri smiled and Gilgie beamed.

"Oh Gribby, show her!" She tugged on Gabriel's arm. He grimaced at his nick name and sighed. "Girls, can you leave us be for a moment?" He looked at the girls.

They whined and pleaded but their older brother stood his ground and pointed to the door. They, in a line, filed out solemnly, giving Adri's belly a rub before leaving.

"Yes, Gribby, what is it?" Adri teased. She was highly interested in what this 'gift' was.

"Unless you are a 13 year old girl." He approached her slowly, "My name is Gabriel Frances." He wrapped his arms around him. Beside the paint smell, his musk made her eyes roll back into her head.

She giggled. "Frances?"

"Sadly my father was given the opportunityto help with my name." He grimaced again. He sighed and looked down at Adri. "Come with me." He put his arm around her shoulder and lead her to the hall way. "How was my mother?"

"She is good. Told me about your dad." She said quietly.

"How much?" She could feel him tense a bit. He had a lot of forbidden subjects.

"That he used to be a dead beat, thats about it." She looked up at him. "She said you look a lot like him."

He frowned and his eyes narrowed and he stopped in front of a closed door that the smell of paint was strongly coming from. "A curse I live with daily."

Adri wanted to argue but she decided that is would be better if she let it go. He looked down at her and put his hand on the door knob. "This was actually a two day project but some of the things in here I have been working on since..." He looked down. "Since Vivie told me she was pregnant."

Adri blinked. He actually talked about her with out throwing a fit. She saw him swallow and look at her again. "I finished them and added more to some of the stuff as well. I hope you like it." He turned the knob and opened the door.

Adri peeked in and gasped at the room she saw. It was a nursery. The walls were a very soft yellow, as not to over whelm the eyes and the floor boards were an dark oak. There were decals of trees and kids running on the walls. The crib was what got her. It was oak, like the floor boards, but the phases of the moon were carved into the wood along with French prayers to the moon about prosperity and love. The blankets in side of it were hand made for sure and the tiny pillow was inscribed with Gabriel's last name. Deveron. She teared up and looked around to see a rocking chair and a lazy boy and a whole closet full of clothes, diapers, bottles and other things the baby would need.

She turned toward Gabriel with tears in her eyes. He smiled at her. "Tears are not allowed here." He chuckled. "Until the baby comes any way."

She hurried over to him and hugged him tightly. She didn't know that Gabriel was so ready for this. He released her and lead her over to the lazy boy chair. "This was my mother's. She said its terribly comfortable to sleep in when the baby is keeping you up."

She smiled up at him. "Is the crib yours?"

He shook his head and crouched down. "No, I built that for my first born. Its taken me 6 years to finish it."

She sighed. "Thats talented."

He chuckled. "I wanted to make it out of metal, since I weld like a mad man, but Vivian insisted that wood would be less dangerous to the baby."

"I can see why." Adri raised her eye brows.

He shrugged and looked down and took her hand. He looked at the ring and back up at her. "Also, I...um, I wanted to..." He stood up and reached into his back pocket. "I know you and I have some issues at times, but, if it wasn't for you. I wouldn't be here." He crouched back down with his hand clutched tightly around some thing. "And I love you, alot, and I don't know how to show my gratitude for putting up with my stubbornness but..." He opened his hand. "I want to start by marrying you."

Adri was so trapped by his words that she didn't even look down. If it was a ring, she didn't need it to pursue her into giving an answer. She already knew he was the only man she would ever be with.

He shifte uncomfortably and shoved his hand forward again and this time she looked down. The ring was actually fit to go with the other one she hand on. It was a curved band that had diamonds inset through out it. Simple, but it was a sign that he was ready to go from mate to husband.

"Marry me?" He sounded like he was pleading now, like he was afraid she would say no.

"You know..." She looked up. "You didn't even have to ask, dummy, you already know the answer." She smiled shyly at him.

His grin widened and he let out a breath of relief and slipped on the ring. The set was complete and now it was set. She teared up again and lunged at him, crushing his lips to hers in a hungery notion.

He held her close to him and then pulled away. "Of course after the baby is born, so you don't have to find a dress with a baby bump."

"I don't need a dress, I'll walk down the isle in my skin if I have to." She mumermed in to his shoulder.

He stood up and slowly let her go. "Come on, lets go for a run." He looked out the window to see the sun setting over the trees.

Adri shivered. She knew what their runs turned into once they were away from other pack members. Her body was craving his.

She took his hand and followed him quickly to the door and rushed out, only to be bombared with pack members, the ones in their human skins asking question after question. Gabriel followed quickly to her side and then held up his hands. "Quiet please."

The pack looked at him in attcipation and Gabriel stared back at them before smirking. "I'm getting married."

They cheered and the ones who had changed already howled in excitment, but Gabriel quieted them down. There were people in the inn. Esme was the first to shoot out from the crowd and embrace Adri in a hug. "Oh baby, I'm so glad."

Adri held onto her tightly and felt the tears running down her face. She had finally found her home, her real family. She sobbed a happy sob and whispered. "Thanks mom."

Esme gasped slightly, but held on to Adri and felt her grip tighten. This wasn't just Gabriel's second chance to make things better, it was her's too.

"Your welcome baby..."

* * *

Good? Yes? No? REVIEW! Thank you to my dedicated readers, you know who you are ;)


	21. Collapsing

**Yay! Another update! Who is a happy camper?**

* * *

The feeling of a tongue lapping his nose woke him up. It wasn't light out but with his eyes, Gabriel was able to see the little figure that was his mate. Her brown silky fur, her large eyes, and the wagging of her tail. He yawned and let out half a howl. Their love making always made him so tired.

Adri laid by his side and continued to lick his muzzle clean of elk's blood, then his ears. He did the same for her in return. After cleaning eachother, they shifted back into their human forms, kissing, snuggling, and the occasional biting. Adri arched against Gabriel's body and stretched as much as she could, her body still stiff from the run and the postion she had slept in.

He groaned and nuzzled her chest, kissing her breast and collar bone. She sighed in bliss and laid back on her back and hummed while she stroked her swollen belly tenderly.

"We should go back." Gabriel mumured in to her skin above where the baby resided.

She shook her head. "Not yet. Not yet..." She sighed again. She shivered and her fur grew on her legs and arms. She looked at him. "Do you want to?"

He chuckled. "I wouldn't care, but we've been gone for two days and we finished the elk, so there is no breakfast, because some decided they were _really _hungery." Gabriel looked at her and raised a brow.

She stuck her nose in the air and humphed. "I am feeding two. I at least have an excuse for eating in mass quantities, unlike you, ya fat lard."

He growled possively. "I'll show you fat." He rolled toward her and attacked her mouth like an hungery animal. She squealed into his mouth before she began to moan. He made her skin feel like it was on fire.

He pulled away and stroked her face with the back of his knuckles. "Seriously though. We should get back."

She sat up and gracefully stood and stretched before laying her hands on her stomach. Her hair had leaves and grass all over in it and her body was smeared with mud, as Gabriel and her self chased the elk up the river and into a mud pit. She looked back at her mate and there he stood in all of his glory. Tall, tanned, scarred, muscular and beautiful.

He looked at back at her. "We have to run the whole way in able to get back by breakfast."

She groaned. "And its pancake day...'' She felt the drool build up in her mouth. She and the baby loved pancakes.

"It is, so I'll give you a head start of about...hmm, what do you say, 20 minutes and see if you can make it before me this time." He crossed his arms and chuckled.

She looked down. "Nah, I'm just going to jog back, I can't keep stressing the baby." She sighed. "Go on with out me. I'll just have to miss pancakes."

He raised his brows. "Fine, I guess so. Are you sure you can be by yourself?"

"I won't be for long, as soon as I get close enough, the Five will get me." She shrugged. "See you at dawn." Breakfast for the employees was way before breakfast for the rest of the inn. She would have to eat pancakes when Ana Bell made them at the cabin.

"Don't be late." He turned north and took off at full speed. He would make it in time for pancakes.

She looked at her stomach. "The things I do because I love you." She shifted and made her way home.

* * *

She was a mile away. She was tired and she yearned for sleep and the comfort of Gabriel's arms. Her paced had slowed and she regretted not taking Gabriel's advice on sleeping instead of chasing those damn rabbits.

She was to tired. She laid down and snorted the dirt out of her nose. It wasn't even dawn yet. It had to have been at least 3 in the morning. She felt her self drifting when the sent hit her nostrils. Smoke.

She shot up. Why was there smoke? She felt her body wake up in a panic. Her dream coming back to her_. No_! She took off in a full speed run, her heart pounding against her ribs in a frenzy.

The closer she got, the heavier the smell became and she could feel the tears. The moon had given her a warning and she had blown it off. Maybe it was a bonfire they were having. _At this time of the morning? _She ran faster.

Before she knew it she came upon the sight she had been dreading. The flames. But these flames were engulfing the cabin in a terrible rate. She saw the pack scrambling around in a frenzy trying to put it out and her heart dropped to her stomach. Where was Gabriel?

She shifted quickly and scrambled into her underwear and shirt she had left at the tree line. If the fire department was called or inn members saw her, questions would be asked and that was the last thing she wanted. She ran closer and the heat was unbareable and she looked around the frenzy, her eyes craving the sight of her mate.

"Adri!" She heard her name and turned to see a ash covered Ulf and Williem. She felt relief but her heart was still aching.

"Where is Gabriel?" She demanded, almost to harsh. The boys looked at her wide eyed.

"He's not with you?" Ulf's face became even more grave than before.

"Oh no..." Williem covered his face. "No one has seen him. We thought he was with you."

"What happened?" She asked quickly.

"We don't know, we just woke up to a very loud explosion. I bet it was the paint and stain the made it go up so fast." Williem shook his head.

_The nursery. _She almost burst into tears but she had to find Gabriel.

"He is still in there! Let me go!" She heard yelling and screaming. She looked to see the Raul and Rudy holding Esme back. "He has a baby on the way! We need him! I can't lose another person in my life!" She was sobbing and pleading. Ana Bell was sobbing and pleading with the men as well and the sisters were clinging to their desperate mother to prevent her to going into the fire as well.

Gabriel was in the house. The house was on fire. Adri felt her body freeze in fear and in panic. _Gabriel!_ She took off running toward the burning house before two strong arms caught her.

"No! Are you stupid! You go in there, you and the baby will die!" Bucky held on to her tight.

"Gabriel!" Adri screamed. The tears started pouring. This couldn't have been happening. Just then she smelt a scent that was all to familar to her.

She turned toward where it came from and the chills set in. There, in the tree line, was her brother, watching with careless eyes and he was staring right at her. But before she knew it he was gone in a blink of the eye and a sound caused her to turn toward the house again.

The wood was weakening due to the fire and the side of the house was collapsing. The house was collapsing. And with a final snap, the house fell in on its self and Adri screamed at the top of her lungs.

"GABRIEL!"

* * *

**Yes, yes. It was short, but I wanted a cliff hanger and NO! I will not hint off as what to happens next! You must review and then I will write again and then the agony and wait will end and the answers will be provided. I think that is fair enough, yes?**


	22. Gone

**Hola! REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! I want to get to 50 by the next time I update, thats the goal any way. So last chapter was a bit of a cliff hanger and every one is confused. I'm warning you it won't be cleared up for a while.**

**Well REVIEW and I'll UPDATE.**

**Chao!**

**

* * *

**The flames had been put out a long time ago and the sun had come up and went down. The inn was closed and no work was to be done today. No one was outside, no one was going for a run to chase rabbits and howl giddily at the moon. Today was a morning day.

The fire fighters had been called and they prevented the fire from moving into the trees or near the inn and further investigation revealed the fire was started from the fire place and was declared an accident, but Adri knew better. And there was a body. A man's body. Gabriel's mother screamed and begged for them to be wrong, but when they had pulled the remains from the fire and put them in a bag, reality proved to be to real. He was gone.

Adri had tried to run into the fire after the collapse, but luckily Bucky had a tight grip on her and refused to budge. She was overwhelmed with emotions. Her home was gone, the hazards she had put herself and the baby in was terrible, her brother was back, but was worse above all was that the love of her life was gone, and there was no way he was coming back. Her unborn pup was fatherless.

Ana Bella and the triplets were in total dismay. The girls were trying to keep their mother calm while grieving themselves. Esme was distant and kept her distance from others.

Adri just sat on the couch, with the pack surrounding her. She was staring at the floor with the tearing flowing with out shame, she didn't even bother to wipe them away from her face. Ulf sat next to her, his arm around her shoulders. He had put a blanket around her earlier to keep her warm and for some sort of comfort, which she had appreciated. Every now and then she could hear sniffling and sobs.

Bucky stood by Raul and Rolf, carefully watching her. Since he had pulled her away from the house, she had had an iron grip on him and when he made her let go she had screamed and panicked and he had to restrain her again, now he was on alert and ready to take action if he needed to.

He was also the first to talk. "What do we do?"

Orlando looked up and his pale eyes looked at Bucky. "We pray."

"No offense but we have lost our alpha, we have a widowed pregnant girl and we have a killer on the lose. We all know that fire didn't start with the fire place. Since the other inn burned down, we all have been careful and Gabriel would have never used that fire place." He shook his head and looked at the rest of the pack's solemn faces.

"Bucky." Esme's frail voice made every one looked at their former Queen Bitch. "He's right. We are a cursed pack. Since the inn fire we have encountered nothing but tragedy, losing our loved ones, having to settle into a new home were our young ones killed and then losing Vivian. Now we have lost not only our alpha, but our beloved brother. We need to pray to the moon that she will forgive us for whatever we have done wrong so she may help us."

Some looked like they agreed others looked shameful. What she had said was true and the tragedies kept rolling in like punches to the face. It was unbareable.

"But Bucky is also right. Yes we need to pray to the moon for forgiveness, but this was a fire started by a person, not a freak accident." Finn spoke up, surprising every one with his words. He was a punk that caused trouble, not a caring pack member.

Orlando nodded. "Yes it is true. This was murder."

Adri looked up from the carpet and looked at Orlando. "My brother did it."

Every eye turned to her. She continued with a monotone voice. "I saw him, watching me...the fire, by the tree line. He had to have done it. He has found me and now he is going to ruin my life. Its my fault."

Esme stepped closer. "You knew?"

"I didn't know he was here. When I saw the fire I smelt his scent and looked back to see him looking at me from the tree line. I didn't know what to do..." She looked down at the floor. "I don't know how he found me."

"What do you mean?" Esme's voice was getting more and more angrier. "You brought him here?"

"Not on purpose! I swear! My mother told me to leave the pack because it wasn't safe and I ran away! I didn't mean to bring this here!" She pleaded with Esme. She couldn't bear it if the woman turned on her. Any one but her.

"Gabriel is dead because you failed as a member of this pack to inform us that you were being pursued. Your right, it is your fault." Esme was now clenching her jaw and muscles in anger.

"Stop it!" Ana Bella stood up clearly angry. "Of course she didn't tell us because she didn't know!" She looked around. "Stop pointing fingers, nothing gets done or accomplished when you blame eachother pointlessly when we should be supporting each other in our time of need!"

"She failed us as an alpha!" Esme fought back. "She knew when she ran away that this would happen and he found her, now because of her incompantence, your son is dead!"

Ana Bella looked like she had been slapped. Every one looked between the two and Adri with anticpation and anxiety.

She took a shakey breath and looked down at Esme. "Yes, but how is screaming at his pregnant mate making it any better? So she failed to tell us, so what. We have a killer after her and the baby and as her mate's mother, I will protect her. As a pack member I will protect her, you should do the same since you once were in this same position."

"I didn't bring a killer to our door steps." Esme growled.

"And if she knew do you think she would have sat there? She is an 18 year old girl who has never seen any thing but what her family has shown her. She is blind to the rest of the world, Esme. She looks at you as her mother, and it is sad that the only one that is comforting her is 2 men that barely know her." Ana Bella sat down and took one of her daughters hand's. "Its unproductive to sit and yell at a poor girl who just lost the love her life."

The pity and guilt showed on Esme's face as she sat back down. She had been in that situation when Ivan had died and now this girl needed her and she had turned her back on her for one little mistake. "Your right, I'm sorry."

Adri stood up and quickly made her way out of the room, quickly making it up the stairs before her tears completely cut off her sight. It was too much and her body hurt. She had to think of the baby. It was her top priority right now was to protect the unborn baby inside of her. Her and Gabriel's baby.

Even hearing his name was painful. So this is what he had gone through more than once, this burning pain that flared when the person was mentioned, the unbareable pity others took on you. It was all to much.

She had made it to the bed in time to let the tears blind her and the sobs over take her body. She wanted to see him, touch him, hear his voice one last time, but it wasn't possible. He was gone.

"Adri?" A knock at the door caught her attention. It was Esme. "Let me in please. I'm sorry." Adri could hear the sadness in her voice but her grief kept her tied to the bed. She just wanted to be alone.

* * *

It had been hours, almost 2 days since that fire and since he ran off after the scent that lingered there. He had ran into the woods looking for the culprit and he had yet to find him. He just hoped Adri was alright and safe.

Gabriel's calloused, torn, and tired body laid on the ground, no longer able to run or move. His muscles ached and that was a rare for a loup garou to be so tired. The scent had faded and he knew that he had been out smarted. He cursed and with an angry fist pounded the ground. There was that smell from the fire that made Gabriel gag. Burning flesh. It was human, but only because a hiker had gone missing the day before and Gabriel knew some one was messing with their heads. And it was working.

He rolled on to his back and looked at the stars. His home was gone. Of course he had the inn and other cabins still but that was the home Adri and himself were preparing for the baby. Those long hours of making that nursery were wasted. He sighed and willed himself to his feet. It was hopeless, now he had to go back and make sure the rest of the pack were safe and sound. To see if Adri was safe and sound.

He looked around. He was way up in the mountains, far from any trails and far away from home. He had at least a day and half of traveling before hitting the inn property. He stumbling to his first steps and walked back toward home.


	23. Oliva's Fault

**...does no one like my writing any more?**

**

* * *

**

Gabriel had been walking for a whole day and once again the moon had taken its place in the sky. He was so and his muscles were terribly sore, but his determination to get back to Adri and the pack made him keep walking, but he didn't know where he was or if he was going in the right direction any more.

The river was near and he could use it to get home as he new he was up river from the inn, but he was so tired that he couldn't figure how much longer he needed to walk before reaching it. Finally he gave up and laid down on the ground, letting out a groan as his muscles tweeked with pain. He had been running, climbing, walking and running longer than he ever had before. Loup garou were used to the work out of the muscles and the long runs, but he had run so hard that his muscles burned. He felt weak, he should be able to go longer.

Gabriel hit the ground with his fist with all the energy he had left. He just wanted to get home.

* * *

Adri looked at Aunt Persia with tired eyes. A check up was usually some thing she looked forward to but not this time. She was alone and the news that she usually received was taken with heart but now fell on grieving ears.

"Your lucky, with all the stress the baby has been handling it well, so has your body." The elderly woman walked over to the small kitchenette and turned on a boiler with a tea kettle resting on it. "You'll soon be giving birth. Are you ready?"

Adri was staring down at her feet. "I'm not so sure any more." She said quietly.

Persia sat in a chair with a heavy groan and stuck a long pipe in her mouth. "And why not?"

Adri's hands clenched into fists and she held back the tears. "Because I'm a single parent, what person looks forward raising a baby on their own?"

Persia hummed and lite her pipe carefully, taking in a breath and then taking the pipe out of her mouth to point it at Adri. "But you are not alone, you are a pack member and their will be others to help." She raised an eyebrow. "Why do you think you are on you own?"

"Its not the same." Adri bit out. "Its not the same as when you have the other there and lets face it, with out Gabriel no one cares about me, I'm just some outsider they tolerated because their alpha took me in." She tightly closed her eyes.

Persia scoffed and put the pipe's mouth piece back in her mouth. "Really now? So Esme, Ana Bella, the triplets, Ulf, Bucky, Rudy, and I have not cared? If it wasn't for Bucky you would have burned alive with Gabriel."

Adri turned towards Persia, eyes wide and her mouth in a tight line. _Burned alive...Gabriel..._Her eyes teared up and she shook her head. "Morally it was the correct thing to do. I'm pregnant."

Persia let her head fall back and she let out a laugh. "Morally right? Bucky?" She restrained her laughter. "That man has no morals." Her face turned serious. "Yes it is not the same and it is sad that a child has to grow up fatherless, but in this situation and your needs require a man, one you can trust." Persia set the pipe down.

"What do you mean?" Adri was confused, what she needed was Gabriel and only him. It had only been 3 days since the fire, but Adri had a chilling sense what the older woman meant.

"I mean you need to take a mate, so that you may be taken care of." Persia stood. "I and Orlando, Rudy and Esme agreed. It may be soon and unthinkable at the moment but you as our alpha cannot go on with out a mate."

Adri felt her world crash. Mate another man? Not even 3 days after the death of the man she loved and she had to take another mate? This was unheard of! "No, never. I would rather run away then be with any other."

Persia looked sadly at the girl. "I am sorry to hear that, as it is all we can offer as a pack."

"I have no pack...just a bunch of people who smiled to my face because I took care of the alpha." Adri picked up her coat and hurried out of the room and down the hall way. How obserd, she would rather die.

She slowed her pace to a slow thoughtful walk. Maybe the best thing to do was leave. Her brother was still out there even though they had set up people to watch at night, it was still unsafe and she needed to get him away before any one else got hurt. But the baby...it couldn't go with her, what if her brother found it and tried to kill it? It would be more than she could bear. A thought came over her. She was in danger, but her baby didn't have to.

Esme. She could trust Esme to take care of the baby and it was only 2 months longer, if not less before she gave birth. It would work, then the baby would be safe and well taken care of...

"Bucky! Rudy!" Finn called up the flight of stairs. "Come help me! We found him!" He spotted Adri and then his face contorted. He blamed her for Gabriel's death.

"Who?" She felt her heart beat rapidly and the sounds of doors slamming open and the running in the halls made it almost impossible to hear.

"No one." He glowered and then turned and ran, leaving Adri's sight.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Bucky looking at her. "Stay here, please. Be rational for once." He bolted down the stairs. Rational? Did he see her irrational when she ran toward that fire?

She clenched her jaw. Like hell she would sit here, what if it was Gabriel they had found? What if he was still alive? Heart beat faster and she felt the baby kick and move. It as well wanted to know who was found.

She slowly went down the stairs and then her pace quickened through the kitchen and out the door. She stood there, watching as the Five, Bucky, Rudy, Raul, and Rolf were restraining someone and the seriousness of the situation changed. It wasn't Gabriel. Her nostrils flared when a certain scent wafted into them. She froze. No, no, no...it couldn't be.

The men had moved enough for her to see and sure enough, in the mangle of men, there he was. Her brother. Snarling, cursing, and fighting. But it stopped when he had spotted her.

"Oliva. There is the whore I came for." His snarl turned into a sick smirk. Her skin crawled. Luckily the men had a good hold on him.

Bucky turned around and spotted her, his shoulders slumped and his jaw clenched as he shook his head. "Adri." He groaned with a sigh. "Why don't you listen?"

She ignored him and continued to stare at her brother. "Audery."

"Hello precious, miss me? I missed you." He chuckled. His eyes drifted to her stomach. "My, my, that didn't take long. You were gone less than a year."

She tensed and a new found boldness snapped into place. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, _Adri_," He spat the name out. "I was looking for you, since you left home, our parents have died and you were left. You being left puts you next, can't have that so I'm here to kill you."

She growled low in her throat. "You did it. You lit the bar on fire and killed mom and dad. You killed Gabriel..." She swallowed. "You started the fires."

He tugged against his restrainers and found it useless. The others were staring at her in wonder. "Why yes, yes I did."

"Maybe I should have my pack rip you apart, then go back and take my claim over the money and pack." She felt her muscles twinge. Her anger was awaking the animal inside her. He wanted the money that their family had inherited from her grandparents all to himself and he was killing his family to achieve it? This was corruption at its finest.

His face hardened. "Your pack?" She glowered. She remembered what she said to Persia earlier but she needed the defense.

"You happened to kill the alpha of this pack, my _mate_. I am the alpha female." She stared him down and for the first time, she saw fear in his eyes.

"Is that what you want? To kill your own brother?" He looked around hopelessly looking for an escape and saw none.

"You have no problems of killing your pregnant sister, why should she think twice about you?" Bucky snarled in his direction, claws growing and his fangs poked his bottom lip.

"Because she is too weak to kill me, aren't you Oliva? You could never kill me." Audrey looked directly at her. All eyes turned on her and begged her to give the word.

"He's right..." She closed her eyes and knew Audrey was smirking. "But not because I am weak, but because by law you have to face the pack you did crimes against, and trust me, they aren't as hesitant as I am." She opened her eyes and looked at him. "I want to know what happened to the little boy that said he would do any thing to protect me from the monsters under my bed."

He gave a cold laugh. "I found out that I was the monster under the bed, and it was much easier to be a monster than protect a weakling like you."

The grips on his arms tightened and Rudy moved forward. "Lets lock him up and then assemble the pack to pull judgement on this bastard." The others followed his motions and jerked Audrey forward and away.

Adri had her eyes still clenched closed and was trying to stay strong, feeling almost like her world was shattering slowly. Her parents, Gabriel, Audrey, and...feeling the absence of Gabriel's presence made her already fragile demeanor crumble away more and more.

A hand on her shoulder made her eyes snap open and look at the hand. Following the hand up, the arm, and past the broad shoulders, was Bucky's concerned eyes. "Adri." He said softly. "I know, he was my best friend too."

She trembled. Why now did she decide to cry? She had cried enough, it was time to toughen up, but her attempts were shot down by the overwelming emotions.

"Its my fault. Its all my fault and if I wasn't here, he'd be alive." She croaked, tears falling silently down her face.

His lips twitched up, but softened. "No, I don't think he would." He let his hand drop and then he turned and followed others.

She stood there looking at the ground_. Its all my fault. _


	24. Waiting

**So I wanted to know what we should do with Audrey. (By the way, Adri and Audrey do not sound the same. Adri sounds like A-dree and Audrey sounds like Aud-ree.)**

**Should we kill him or redeem him?**

**

* * *

**

After a long, long nap, Gabriel was up on his feet, feeling like new. His naked body was covered in mud and his hair was plastered to his face. It was raining and the river was louder than ever. With a smirk, he bolted toward the sound of water. He would make it home today, he was sure of it.

* * *

_Ow, ow, ow! What the hell? _Adri sat straight up in bed, feeling pains in her lower abdomen. _Damn cot..._she thought. She was offered to stay in Esme and Tomas's room for a while and it was recommended because every one in the pack thought she was suicidal. She sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for the pain to pass, but it came back a while later, this time causing her to cry out.

Esme rolled of the bed and hit the floor with a 'thud'. "Ouch, damn the moon! Adri what the hell is going on?" She hit the floor.

"Esme," Adri groaned through her teeth. "It hurts so bad..."

Esme knew then what she was saying, but it wasn't time yet. The baby was early. "Oh shit..." She got up quickly and Tomas sat up.

"What's wrong Es?" He yawned.

"She is in labor. Go wake up Persia and call that doctor from down in town." She crouched in front of Adri.

"Isn't he human?"

Esme turned on him angrily. "Just do it Tomas!"

He sprinted toward the door and quickly down to Persia's door. Esme turned back to Adri. "Ok baby, listen to me. Do not panic, but you are in labor." She said calmly, trying to provoke panic from Adri.

Adri stared at Esme through her hair. Labor? It was too early, she had at least another month to go. "No, no, no, Esme, its too early, Esme..." Adri's breathing became irratic and tears streamed her face.

"Shhh, you'll be alright, ok?" She stroked Adri's hair. "Now stand up and lets get you to Persia's."

Adri was shaking but she had to trust Esme that this would be alright. She clung to Esme as another contraction hit and Esme pulled her up gently. "Ok baby, I'm here." She moved slowly.

"Mom it hurts..." Adri was beginging to sob.

Esme felt the flutter of her heart. Mom. "I know baby I know."

* * *

Gabriel breathed a sigh of relief when the inn came into view. He almost laughed at himself. _Idiot._

"Gabriel?" He heard a voice from behind him. "I told you I smelt him."

He turned to see Bucky and Rudy, both heaving heavily and naked like they had just changed back. "Hey."

"We thought you were dead man." Bucky approached him and clasped his hand with Gabriel's and gave him a one armed hug. "Bastard where did you go?"

Gabriel's eyes hardened. "After the bastard who started the fire."

Rudy looked at Bucky and then looked back at Gabriel. "We have in custody. He's Adri's brother, Audrey. He calls her Oliva." Rudy raised a brow.

"Thats her real name and good, I want to tear him to peices." He turned as soon as he heard a scream coming from the inn. He tensed and went to move but Bucky grasped his arm.

"Its Adri...she's in labor." He said quietly. Gabriel looked at him in shock. It was too early...

"Let me go." He said quickly.

"Wait, clean up and then go. They won't let you in there if your dirty and shit." He eyed Gabriel's mud covered body.

"I don't give a fuck, let me go." He jerked his arm but this time Rudy spoke up.

"We're not kidding. The baby will be extra sensitive and having some one covered in mud and whatever else will endanger it even more. She hasn't been in labor long, take a short shower and change clothes, the baby won't be here for another hour or so."

Gabriel knew he was right. Even though he wanted to rush to Adri's side, he couldn't in this state, he had to at least clean himself up. "Fine." He said reluctantly and quickly ran toward the inn, noticing his clothes were completely gone. _We thought you were dead._

_Oh no..._He felt realisation hit him. They all thought he was dead. His mother, his sisters, Esme...Adri. He ran into the door that lead through the kitchen. His eyes lead him through the black abyss and quickly up to his room and took the quickest shower of his life.

The screams were louder now and he could hear the chatter and commotion coming from a floor up so he followed the noises. As soon as he hit the top of the stairs, the hallway was crowded with pack members. Some noticed a presence and turned toward him.

"What the-" Rolf's eyes grew. "Gabriel?"

At hearing the name others turned around and soon the whole pack was looking at him. He didn't care though, he needed to get to Adri. An arm came out from the crowd and he looked down to see his mother.

"Oh Gabriel, thank the moon we thought you were dead..." She mumbled into his chest. "Oh Gabe..."

He pulled her away alittle bit and looked into her eyes. "What's going on?" He asked urgently.

Her lips thinned out and she looked away. "Adri went into labor about 12 hours ago, the baby has moved down and should be here soon, but no one is allowed in."

He turned toward the door and reached for it.

"Wait, Gabriel, no. Even if you just came back from the dead, don't go in there. Its serious." Ana Bella grabbed him again. "I'm sorry honey but you just can't go in there, even if you want to be."

"I need to be." He was almost pleading.

"I'm sorry..."

Regina, sensing that it was too crowded called out. "Ok, lets all go down stairs, except for Gabriel and the family, every one move!" She pushed and ushered.

Gabriel didn't meet the gazes of those who passed by them or the hands that patted his shoulders for sympathy. He just wanted Adri. With out the chatter and the noise he could hear into the room and then he realised his mother was right. Every one should stay out. His shoulders went ridged and he threw a chair close to him, making his sisters squeal in surprise.

"Gabe, Gabe, baby look at me, its ok." Ana Bella rubbed his back. "She'll make it. She's made it over a year with you, she can handle anything.

He didn't smile or budge at the joke. He was going to lose another woman. One that he loved, that he owed his life too. And they had made a life, a life that could also be lost in less than 2 hours. He gritted his teeth.

"Gabe, it does no good to sit here and be angry ok? She'll be ok." She tried again.

He closed his eyes and took deep breaths and then sat on the floor holding his head in his hands. _No, it was not going to be ok._

_

* * *

_

Three hours had passed and nothing but screaming and crying had come from that room. Esme had joined them and was over filled with joy when she say Gabriel, but it passed quickly when she saw his expression.

"Is she ok?" He asked gruffly.

She sighed and sat near him and his mother. "She is straining. The baby will come out with out more complications, but its the baby not the mother we're worried about." She bit her lip. "Its early but it's taking to long and so it might sufficate. It's coming down feet first."

Ana Bella sighed and shook her head. Gabriel's expression only got angrier. "How much longer?" He asked.

"15 to another hour, depends if that doctor can pull the baby out safely." Esme ran a hand through her hair.

"Doctor?" Gabriel frowned.

Esme sighed and nodded. "Persia has a nephew who went to medical school and he happened to live up here, luckily or the baby would be dead already." She covered her face.

"I want to be in there." Gabriel said tersly. Esme shook her head.

"No, no you don't. They are expecting to deliver a dead baby Gabriel, and Adri wants to be alone, thats why I'm out here." She looked at him sympathictically.

He protested. "But I am her mate-"

"For her sake just stay out here. Stressing her could make it worse." Gabriel slumped against the wall. She was right but it didn't make the situation any better.

Gilge whimpered and crawled to her brother's side, snuggling into it tightly for comfort. Gabriel looked down and saw his sister looking innocently back up at him with pleading eyes. They were scared too. He rested his hand on her head and then rest the back of his head on the wall, waiting...


	25. Emme Adalyn

**Hey! Thanks to Julz! You are AWESOME! **

**By the way ya'll should check out 4 am by Our Lady Peace, inspired this chapter.**

**

* * *

**Minutes felt like hours to Gabriel and the what if's were endless. What if Adri died? What if the baby died? What if the baby did live but had perment brain damage from the lack of oxygen? They were driving him crazy and the noises from the room were not helping him at all. He finally couldn't sit any more and was pacing, his sisters' eyes following him warily.

Finally it came. That moment that Gabriel had been waiting for. The baby's cry and it was loud and it was was the most beautiful sound Gabriel had ever heard and as soon as he heard it he was in the room, ignoring protest and questions and the looks of surpise that it was him. And there it was, there _she _was, pink and cry and her little legs and arms wailing hopelessly. Gabriel covered his mouth as the emotions over took him. That little pink baby girl was his, that was _his _daughter.

"Gabe...?" He heard a exhausted whimper. He turned to see a tired and pale Adri, but no matter, she was beautiful to him. He hurried to her side and took the hand that was holding out for him. "Is this a dream? Did I die too?" She was tired and her words slurred a bit.

"No, baby I'm alive, I'm here. _She's _here." He kissed her hand and pushed back the tangled brown locks. "And moon she is so beautiful."

Adri smiled and then the tears fell from her eyes, hopefully out of relief. "Oh moon..." She sobbed, but she was smiling.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked to see Aunt Persia standing there, amazed, like she was seeing and touching something unreal. "Gabriel?"

He ignored the look and looked up at her. "Is she ok?"

She must of guessed he meant the baby and sighed. "Yes, but her breathing is shallow, so we have to put her on oxygen, but would you like to come cut her amblical cord. She's already hooked up but we were hoping..."

Gabriel turned back to Adri and kissed her forehead. "Hear that baby? She's ok, she's ok..." He chuckled. "I'll be right back." He got up and followed Persia to the baby was laying and waiting. When he saw her again he felt that overwelming emotion that he felt when he saw her for the first time. Love, so much love for one little being.

The doctor handed him the scissors and pointed to the spot were he was to cut and he cut quickly. The baby was still crying and wailing her tiny arms. The tubes on her face didn't take away from how beautiful she was.

She was cleaned and had a diaper put on her then wrapped in a blanket. Persia turned toward him and placed her in his arms and he looked lovingly down at his daughter. She was dwarfed in his arms. She wasn't big at all, instead being tiny, like her mother. She had Adri's lips and nose, while she had his hair and eyelashes. It was too soon to tell what eyes she'd have. The baby stopped crying and felt the warmth of his arms.

"Does she have a name?" Persia asked quietly. He looked up and smiled.

"Yeah, Emme. Emme Adalyn." He almost choked on the name.

Persia said a small prayer and then went to attend to Adri and make sure she was ok. Gabriel touched the little balled hands coming out of the blanket and one grasped his finger. He smiled. "So I guess since your here, you'd like to know who the hell I am, uh?" He chuckled as she squeezed his hand. "I'm your dad and I have been waiting for you for a very, very long time."

* * *

After Adri and the baby were taken care of and asleep, Gabriel left the room to spread the news. Esme and Ana Bella shot up and the girls' snapped to their brother.

"Baby girl, Emme Adalyn. Perfect in every way."

* * *

**Yes this one was really short but I wanted the happy moment just be and not drag on.**


	26. Its Not True

**And the reviews roll in like my fat rolls...lol jk...lol.**

**

* * *

**

Emme was more than precious. She was a gift that only the moon would have been able to give. And to Gabriel she was life.

"Tiny like your mother..." He leaned over the crib, resting his chin on his arms. "Figures I would have such a tiny kid." He reached in and stroked her cheek. For only being a week old she moved quite a bit. He held her in one hand most of the time and she was always asleep anyway.

After she was born he left the room and announced to his family and Tomas and Esme that they had a little girl name Emme and she was healthy and that Adri was alright. They had hugged and congradulated him and then proceeded into the room to see the tiny infant was dozing in Persia's arms. The pack then followed on congradulations and then the questions came. Where were you? What happened? Why did you leave? After some explanations the pack was relieved he was back and they celebrated Emme's birth accordingly.

Adri, though, was not doing as well as she could. She had lost a lot of blood and she was so weak after the birth that she couldn't even move and Gabriel had to pick her up and carry her every were she needed to go. She was under the constant watch of his mother, sisters, and Esme, who was always by her side so Gabriel could be with Emme. But she had still yet to make any progress of recovery and Gabriel's joy over Emme was becoming a fear of lossing Adri and leaving Emme motherless.

His mother on the hand was more than estatic of Emme. She even took it upon herself to stay with Gabriel in their new cabin to help watch Emme and teach Gabriel how to handle her. He was a big man and she was a tiny infant, he had to becareful with her, as his mother said. He had just sighed and said 'Yes, mama, I know.'

Esme had come to see Emme a couple times but prefered to stay with Adri, helping her as much as she could.

Gabriel rubbed his face. His relief of Emme and Adri's survival was short lived by Adri's declining health and Persia came to a conclusion. When Adri had gone into labor, she bled to much and as her body tired to restore her blood supply it exhausted itself. But she was still in pain and Persia could not conclude why. Everything looked fine, she had no infections, no broken bones or any internal bleeding. Persia had said that loup garou were much like their wild conterparts and only the strong survived. It was not the only time she had seen this happen either, and it was assumed that only certain women could produce children and live.

Gabriel looked down at his daughter who was looking back up at him with those baby blue eyes. She didn't like it when Gabriel set her in the crib. Infact she made it very clear that Gabriel and Adri were the only ones she wanted holding her for more than 5 minutes. She screamed when Finn held her for more than 20 seconds. He reached in and picked her up and laid her against his shoulder, holding her gently but sternly so that she was securely held.

"I don't know you and the only sign of personality you've shown was who you did and don't like and your boundries, but I love you, alot and I'll take care of you as long as I living." He patted her back and then scrunched his nose. "Thanks Emme." He looked down at her. "Trying to be sentimentle and you do that." He sighed and walked over to the changing table.

After the fire the pack pitched in together and gave the new parents old cribs that they still had and some of the women went and bought baby clothes and what looked like 2 years worth of diapers. And since his sisters went with them, they picked out most of the clothes and now Emme's wardobe was bright pinks with butterflies and bows. Ruffles occasionally, but Emme voiced her dislike for them.

"Never thought I'd see the day that you would be changing diapers." A female voice said from behind him. "Its kinda hot."

He chuckled. "Hmm, didn't think shitty diapers could be a turn on." He looked behind him and saw Esme approaching him.

She scoffed and shook her head. "Well I can tell you your doing it wrong." She shoved him out of the way and cooed to Emme. "Yes, daddy is a meat head."

He smiled softly. It was hard to be upset around Emme. "She seems bigger only after a week."

Esme smiled. "Thats a good thing, because she was almost underweight. Means she's eating right." She grabbed a couple wipes. "Wow, for being so little..."

"I know thats what I said, only with more choice words." Gabriel tooks Emme's tiny foot and held it.

Esme finished and picked her up, rocking her slowly and stroking her hair. "Let's get you wrapped up and warm, you feel a little cold." She grabbed the pinkest one and wrapped Emme snuggly in it and sat in the recliner. "Adri was able to sit up this morning."

Gabriel perked up and looked at her. "Really? She doing better?" He hoped she was for Emme and his sake.

Esme closed her eyes and kept stroking Emme's hair. "No."

He inhaled sharply and cursed. It seemed like the goddess hated him and wanted him to suffer. "What did Persia say?"

Esme scratched her head and sighed. "Maybe you should talk to her about it, I mean..." She shook her head. "Its complicated."

"The hell it is, Esme. Why can't you tell me? Apparently you understand." Gabriel's temper was rising. He wanted his woman back so she could share the joy of raising Emme with him.

"She said a week." Esme said quietly.

Gabriel frowned in though. A week? What was that- "A week?" He was tense now and Emme whimpered.

"Gabriel, she is really weak. If she makes it through the week then Persia predicts that she'll recover, if not...we can't do any more for her. She's eating, she's drinking water and taking vitamins, but her body isn't responding to them. We've done all we can, the rest is up to her." She teared up.

Gabriel ran a hand through his hair and felt the heart break start. "Oh moon. Not like this, she can't go like this."

"Don't scare her or make her worry. She gave life to Emme and for the first time in a long time she feels like her life is complete. She is happy, despite her current condition." Esme looked down at Emme. "She told me if she died, that she would die happy because she did right by you and gave you a baby, she helped you out of that dark place you were in. She completed you like you complete her and thats all she needed to die a happy woman."

"But she can't die..." He felt that darkness fill him again. That fear, that anxiety of being alone. "I can't do this on my own."

"You seem to forget you have us even though I know who prefer. By the way, you need to go deal with that poor excuse of a man that burned down the house. Bucky and the Five have him waiting in the old underground storage." She looked up at him. "Deal with him before I do. I'll take Emme to Adri for a visit."

He nodded. Beating the crap out of that creep would help him release the tension of the though of losing Adri.

* * *

"He's not caving in Gabe." Bucky shook his head as he approached the two doors on the ground. Ulf was standing with him and shook his head.

"He keeps saying he's going to 'kill the fucking slut'." Ulf sneered and his claws grew. No one threatened the alpha female and walked away without a scratch.

"No one has touched him I assumed." He was more than pissed off now.

"We didn't do anything that he didn't deserve." Ulf eyed his alpha.

Gabriel's cruel streak flared. This man would pay. "Good." He followed the two down into the dark cool underground room that had once been used for storage. Since they had inhabited this place they have had no reason to hold any one and when Audrey had been taken captive this unused room found its purpose. Gabriel didn't need lights, his eyes adjusted and fixed on the scratched and bruised man kneeling on the floor, each of his hands tied up to a rope that was attached to the walls. Audrey could escape, but that would be stupid as there were large males surrounding him. The Five were there, as was Rudy, Bucky, and Rolf and Raul. All wore angry masks and their musk was thick, but as soon as Gabriel entered, it was known who was in charge.

"He hasn't said much, other than kill the fucking slut and that we have it all wrong." Raul looked at his alpha and backed away from him so Gabriel stood directly in front of him.

"Slut?" Gabriel raised an eyebrow. "Is that was a brother calls his sister?" He let his fist connect with Audrey's face and a cracking sound from impact made the Five flinch. They've felt Gabriel's wrath before and it was nothing they wanted to relive.

Audrey gasped and groaned. It was a hard hit. "That stupid bitch is not my sister." Another hit.

"You watch what you call my mate." Gabriel growled dangerously and his eyes glowed that furious red.

Audrey chuckled under his breath and looked up at Gabriel with the same red eyes. "You smell like you've been holding a baby. Has my sister popped out that pup of yours?"

Gabriel picked up him by the neck forcing Audrey to stand. "Thought she wasn't your sister."

Audrey laughed cruely and snarled. "I'd take that as a yes."

"Adri said that he wanted her for the family money and he is also responsible for the death of their parents." Bucky stood next to Gabriel, glaring at Audrey while he spoke.

Gabriel looked back at Audrey and dropped him. Audrey laughed again. "Yes! I did! I kill those dispicable idiots!" His laugh and smile grew even more cruel. "They money is a good thing, but the place of pack leader is what I want, to take over our family and distroy it. I can't do that with Oliva and the brat alive."

Bucky and the others were confused. Alpha's were chosen by winning over the spot, a death, or winning an Ordeal, not birth rights. Audrey continued to laugh. "My father brought his whole family together and formed a pack, the one with the strongest heritage of the family ruling it. I ran away from home so I was disowned, making poor little whimpering Oliva next in line and then her children. When Oliva refused, my mate's family was next and I couldn't risk it and kill her, using the excuse of refusing to take care of our home. In our pack killing a dishonorable woman is no big deal, which is why killing Oliva will be no problem."

Gabriel's claws grew and he swiped Audrey's face, leaving neat cuts in his skin. Audrey hissed and growled furiously. Gabriel sneered and turned away. "Kill him."

"Did Adri tell you why she left home and came to misrable Montana? Did she tell you that?" Audrey called out and interest made Gabriel turn around before Raul could begin to tear him apart. Gabriel held up a hand and paced slowly towards Audrey.

"No, inform me." Gabriel stopped bending down to meet Audrey face to face.

"Why? Why should I tell you?" Audrey smirked evily.

"Because if you don't, you'll die sooner than you hoped for." Gabriel stood up. "Kill the fucker."

"Fine!" Audrey yelled. "My father loved Oliva."

Gabriel frowned and scoffed. "She left because her father loved her? Most father's love their daughters."

Audrey giggled like a hyena and smirked. "Not like that, no my father was in love with her. He wanted to make her his."

All the men in the room looked at Gabriel in horror. It was disgusting and terrible. Adri had been a victim to a very sick man and now was once again being targeted by his brother. Gabriel paled and his eyes widened. His poor, poor mate, no wonder she was always scared.

Audrey did that terrible laugh again. "Oh yes, he loved her so much, he always bought her things, always wanted to be alone with her, telling my mother that her beauty couldn't compare to Oliva's. One day he decided to mate her, make her do things that my mother wouldn't even think about, luckily for Oliva, my mother had sent her away before he could get to her. Then he beat my mother, almost to death. Weeks later, he went to a bar, forcing my innocent mother to go in there, and I, being a devoted son, killed him and put her out of her misery by setting the place on fire."

"Your lying." Gabriel snarled. "You sick fuck you are lying!" He hit him again.

"Oh am I? She was afraid of men! How you were able to even get her in bed amazes me! You were to busy trying to look down her shirt to notice everytime a man came near she would tense up!"

Finn was almost turned nad he had almost had it. "Let me tear him apart Gabe, let me kill him."

Gabriel shook his head. It was true, but then she had learned to trust her pack, but every now and then some one over passed their boundries and she would cower away from him privately. He always thought it was because she was shy. "Your lying." He tried to convince himself more than he was accusing the man.

"I bet if you asked her, she would cry, I bet she would. She is a useless girl, ruined almost and that brat she just gave birth too, will be just as week as her."

Gabriel was mortified. "Kill him, I don't care how or when, just kill him." He quickly turned away and left the forsaken underground room.

It can't be true, he wouldn't believe. It wasn't true.

It wasn't true.


	27. Important

Hello,

Quick note to those who have been waiting for this story to be updated. I have hit writers block and I am very busy and tend to be ADHD. Plus my writing has changed a bit and I am learning to edit more before I post .

I will be re-editing most of my stories, they will say so. I.e. Chapter-re-vised. So keep an eye out for those!

If you have any ideas of thoughts please review or message me.

Stories being re-edited or re-vised:

Stripped

Heart Shaped Box

Its Simple

Stay (it is possible but not for sure, keep an eye out for it!)

Thank you for reading this and I will try to update these stories ASAP, so do not fret and I am sorry for the inconvenience!

-Jane


	28. This Is Us The End

**Hello! I hope most of you read the previous note I left! Very important and if you don't mind re-review to tell me how you like the re-write. When I start this one I do not know but in the future there will be one.**

**-Jane**

* * *

Watching your mate fade before your eyes was not a curse Gabriel wished on any one, even the disgusting mut that he had just condemned to death.

Adri just lay there, breathing normally but there was nothing normal about how she looked. Pale, so fragile, and so tired.

Gabriel had heard of females dying after giving birth, that their bodies never recovered and it was much like their animal counter parts, but he would be damned if he would lose another.

She was different from the others. The human was weak, of course, but determined and strong willed. Vivian was strong, determined to keep her loved one's safe and worthy of alpha. But Adri let him have his dominance and refused to be seen weak but the other members, even though they knew the truth. If she had come before Vivian had passed, she would have been deemed unworthy of any mate.

But she belonged to him. She mothered his child and he wouldn't let another slip through his fingers with out a fight. He loved her, despite what her brother had told him earlier; it didn't matter to him. It wasn't her fault her father was a failure and was it was disturbing.

Emme was fast asleep in her crib, every now and then her little leg would twitch and Gabriel could tell his little one yearned to run, even though she was way to young to do so.

Right now he kept his eyes on his mate, praying to the moon goddess to help her.

"You're scaring me." A small voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

He shifted and looked up at her face, noticing her looking back at him in a concerned manor. "I was just thinking."

She snorted out a weak laugh and rolled her head to the side. "Did it hurt?"

His lips twitched at the corners but he remained serious. "I believe you are the only one I have trusted myself with for a very long time. It was even hard with my past mate. I couldn't imagine what my life would be like with out you and Emme."

She kept her chocolate gaze on him, silently taking him in. "She is wonderful isn't she?"

"Totally worth all the drama." He rolled his eyes and thought back on the last 6 months. It had not been easy.

"Totally." She closed her eyes. "If I go Gabe-"

"No, don't do that to me, we are not having this talk." He leaned forward and took her hand.

She sighed and looked at their hands. "Please listen, even if you don't want to." She looked up into his icy stare and wished that her mate would take what she would say gracefully. "If I go, I don't want you to suffer. Take pleasure in being alive, being a father, a leader. They need you and I need you, to be strong and understand that this is just how it is. Don't dwell on the dead when the living are still here and need you. You have to keep going, for our daughter, even if it is hard, you need to get out of bed and go running, get on your bike again, but don't go down with me, I couldn't bare it."

He looked at her and absorbed her words. He didn't want to think about it but she was right. Drowning in his sorrow would do no good to him or the others around him. Emme would suffer if he did and the last thing he wanted was for his daughter to live in suffering, like the rest of the pack did after the fire and Vivian's death.

"Ok." Was all he said but it was hard to even get out that one word.

"You'll be a good father, you already are." She lifted their hands and placed them over her heart.

He continued holding her hand, taking in the moment of seeing his mate in peace and listening to their daughter whimper and whine in her sleep. Gabriel, in all his years, never imagined listening to whining baby would comfort him.

Long after Adri had fallen asleep, he let go of her hand and placed it back near his body on the chair. She was strong; maybe what she lacked in physical strength she made up in will power. That was all Gabriel could hope for.

* * *

_3 years later_

"Daddy! Daddy, look at me! Daddy!"

Gabriel looked away from the inn to peer down at his feet where his adorable daughter was tugging on his pant leg, demanding his undivided attention. She held flowers was covered in mud, head to toe. He mentally groaned as he thought about the wonderful time he would spend scrubbing that mud out of her ears and hair tonight.

"They are beautiful Em, now, please, do not eat them or roll in any more mud." He silently hoped she would keep herself out of the mud.

She pouted and then her little face brightened up. "We're going to see mommy!" She scampered off, leaving Gabriel chuckling while following the toddler. She knew where she was going.

The sun was starting to make a path below the horizon and the tree crickets were singing their song to them as they made their way into the forest behind the inn, stopping every now and then to investigate a new smell. Emme seemed to have a very keen noise.

Right now she was chattering away at Gabriel, telling him what her and grandma had done earlier that day. "She even let me wear her necklace!" She held on tightly to Gabriel's fingers as she lead him to were Adri was. He was also ready to see Adri, since it was over due to see her.

"And your aunts were good too?" He asked Emme as he helped the short toddler over a log.

"No! Gilge had to go into time out for taking Finny's hat and not giving it back!" She made a face that was all business. No one messed with her Finny.

He shook his head and tried to hang on to the little hand that was clutching his, trying to run ahead. She began to squeal and squirm, becoming exciting and it was contagious.

Gabriel finally picked up Emme and carried her under his arm, a grin spread over his face like he was a love struck teenager.

"Mommy!" Emme squealed and Gabriel set her down so that she could run into the clearing they were approaching.

Stepping into it, he saw a sweet picture, one that couldn't be held in a photograph.

Adri was holding a 4 week old baby, looking down at her daughter, smiling giddily as she hugged her leg. Esme beside her, laughing at what the toddler was telling them.

Adri looked up and caught Gabriel's eye.

She had grown even more beautiful in the past 3 years and her long brown hair fell in even longer strands. Her emerald eyes showed some experience now and the love she held for her family made her even more beautiful.

"-And mommy, daddy missed you and he was grouchy!" Emme complained as they kept eye contact.

"Oh? Well I am back now, no more need to be grouchy." She laughed softly.

The baby in her arms, Michael, voiced his opinion on being so near his father, yet not in his arms. He always knew when Gabriel was near.

Gabriel chuckled and advanced toward his family, taking his tiny son in his arms and placing a loving kiss on Adri's lips.

"Glad you are home." He smiled at her.

"And I, too am glad to be here."

* * *

**Presto! After a year, this is finally finished. Yes it is a cliff hanger and you don't know where she was, but that is up to your little minds.**

**Remember that I will be revising earlier chapters, so this is not finished, yet!**

**Thank you to my readers, it has been fun.**

-Jane


	29. Please Read!

**Hello my readers,**

**I have some wonderful news for you. I am looking for those who would like to write a sequel or a side story to this story.  
**

**If you are interested please message me and we will go over what will proceed next.  
**

**Thank you.  
**

**-Jane  
**


End file.
